Geologists Discover 15 Hydrocarbon Basins in Kazakhstan, Potential for 76 Billion Tons of Fuel

Kazakhstan has the potential to make significant discoveries of new hydrocarbon deposits, with geologists identifying 15 sedimentary basins that contain an estimated 76 billion tons of conditional fuel resources. This was announced by Erlan Akbarov, Chairman of the Committee of Geology at the Kazakh Ministry of Industry and Infrastructural Development, during a press conference at the Central Communications Service on December 12, The Caspian Post reports citing foreign media.

Kazakhstan"s mineral resource base includes solid minerals, groundwater, and hydrocarbons, with 355 hydrocarbon deposits present on the state"s balance sheet.

"Kazakhstan has significant prospects for the discovery of new hydrocarbon deposits. Currently, geologists identify 15 sedimentary basins with forecast resources of conditional fuel of about 76 billion tons," said Akbarov.

"Today, the entire volume of oil and gas production falls on five developed basins. The largest of them is the Caspian basin, which accounts for about 80% of the country"s resource base. At the same time, five additional understudied sedimentary basins have significant prospects. These are the North-Turgai, Aral, Syrdarya, Shu-Sarysu and Priirtysh sedimentary basins. The unrealized hydrocarbon potential of these basins remains quite significant," he added.

This year, regional studies are being completed using a range of geological and geophysical methods, including a 2D seismic survey in the Eastern and Western sections of the Aral basin, covering an area of 56,000 square kilometers. Based on the results, the forecasted resources of the Zapadny area are estimated at 800 million tons. Additionally, the geology committee will begin exploring the Syrdarya sedimentary basin later this year.