OREANDA-NEWS. A thick gas inflow was received in well 102 in the Southern Yoloten area in the Mary Velayat. An estimated depth of a new source of hydrocarbon fuel is 4,500 metres. Drillers struck the production horizon at the depth of 4,360 metres. It is another fact evidencing the Turkmen scientists’ calculations on rich hydrocarbon deposits undeveloped in the territory of the country, reported the Presidential website www.turkmenistan.gov.tm.


The tasks set forth in Turkmenistan’s energy strategy include efficient use of the unique hydrocarbon product stock, reliable supply of the national processing industry with raw materials, active expansion to the world energy market. To fulfill the tasks the fuel and energy enterprises throughout the country expanded the field of operations aimed at strengthening the material base of the national oil and gas industry. For many years, the intensive prospect for hydrocarbons and exploration of oil- and gas-bearing regions has been conducted in the eastern part of Turkmenistan - the areas of Shatlyk and Gambar. The geophysical study conducted in the region enabled to discover a group of good structures. These include the Southern Yoloten field, where the commercial influx of “blue fuel” with the daily production rate of 1,2-1,3 million cubic metres was recovered while drilling and testing the first prospecting boreholes at the depth of 4,190 and 4,614 metres, the thickness of the gas-bearing stratum was calculated during the preliminary investigation over 260 metres. The Turkmen gas industry workers achieved remarkable results. Well 102 drilled in by the specialists of the Lebapnebitgazgozleg Administrative Department proved the huge potential of the eastern region on Turkmenistan in increasing natural gas production. Moreover, Yoloten is rich in oil. Commercial production of oil pools in Yoloten started last year. As a result, the Seydi oil refinery received an additional source of hydrocarbon materials.


Another gas-bearing area, Osman detected in immediate proximity to the Southern Yoloten deposit, where a gas gusher with the daily production rate of 5 million cubic metres was recovered while drilling prospecting borehole 3 at the depth of 4,577 metres. According to the preliminary calculations, the thickness of the gas-bearing stratum is 450-500 metres and the pressure is 500 atmospheres. It many times exceeds the total reservoir thickness of all hydrocarbon-producing formations currently developed in Turkmenistan. According to the specialists, natural gas deposits struck in the Osman area and the hydrocarbon deposits in Southern Yoloten form a single whole. If this assumption is confirmed during the full-scale investigation and drilling of new wells in this oil- and gas-bearing region, it will be the most important discovery in the history of development of hydrocarbon resources.


In accordance with the National Programme on the Oil and Gas Industry Development until 2030, the rate of oil and gas prospecting and exploration of deposits is to increase 1,7 times and make up almost 120,000 metres in total and production drill footage over 200,000 metres. Moreover, the geophysical research will be expanded; the activity to detect good structures, to prepare the oil and gas bearing formations for prospect drilling with the follow-up assessment of estimated oil and gas reserves and transfer into the ultimate reserves category are carried out. Advanced technologies, modern equipment supplied to the national gas and oil enterprises are to ensure efficiency. The successive implementation of large-scale investment projects for development of hydrocarbon resources, construction of industrial facilities in the south-western part of Turkmenistan, in the Caspian Sea region, on the right bank of the Amu Darya River, in the area of such fields as Shtalyk, Southern Patlavuk and others will contribute to the rapid development of Turkmenistan’s fuel and energy complex.


As a whole, the activity aimed at strengthening the raw materials base along with increasing the operational efficiency of the long-developed deposits will promote increasing considerably the rates of hydrocarbon fuel production that, in its turn, will give the oil and gas industry as well as other sectors of thenational economy a powerful incentive to develop. Through ensuring the energy security, the government guarantees the successful implementation of the socioeconomic programmes aimed at achieving prosperity and well-being for the Turkmen people.