OREANDA-NEWS. January 17, 2007. The year 2008 began with a joyful occasion for oil and gas industry workers of Turkmenistan. The integrated geological and geographical survey in the Southern Yoloten deposit conducted at exploratory hole 102 resulted in exploring a gas-bearing stratum that gave a thick commercial inflow of hydrocarbon fuel. The production horizon was drilled in at a depth of 3,967-3,990 metres. Thus, the Turkmen specialists’ assumption about the multilevel structure of the highly prospective area and undiscovered hydrocarbon fuel reserves in its depth was confirmed.

It can be said that the Southern Yoloten deposit explored by the Turkmengeologiya State Corporation after conducting the intensive exploratory activity in the eastern region of Turkmenistan was one of the Turkmen geologists’ sensational discoveries over the recent ten years. This assumption is based on the commercial ‘blue fuel’ influx with the daily flow rate over 1.2-1.3 million cubic metres discharged from the first five exploratory holes. Before well 102 ‘discharged’ natural gas when drilling at a depth of 4,360 metres and 4,428 metres

A new gas pool explored at well 102 occurs above the previously explored huge area and thus enables to considerably increase thickness of the gas-bearing stratum, to exactly evaluate the hydrocarbon reserves and to register them as the commercial resource category of reserves.

Another highly prospective area – Osman, where a gas influx with the daily flow rate of 5 million cubic metres was recently received when drilling producing well 3 at a depth of 4,577 metres is located nearby. According to specialists, the natural gas accumulations explored in the Osman deposit and the hydrocarbon reserves in Yoloten is another oil-and-gas accumulation region, i.e. a huge deposit. The arguments for it include the proximity of the areas: the distance between producing well 3 (Osman) and producing well 17 (Southern Yoloten) is about 40 km; the high concentration of the reserves considerably exceeding the height of the explored structures as well as thickness of the hydrocarbon pools of all the deposits explored throughout Turkmenistan.

Thus, if the assumption is confirmed by conducting further integrated survey and drilling new wells it will be a discovery of global importance. Even today, it can be said for sure that the zone of the proved reserves in the gas accumulation in the Southern Yoloten deposit is 40 km by 20 km. Its depths hide oil reserves. The commercial exploration of the oil pools in the Southern Yoloten started several years ago. The exploration work is conducted to the north – to the Minara deposit, to the south – to the Osman deposit, to the west – to the Gazanly deposit and to the east – to the Yashlar deposit.

Nowadays, Southern Yoloten as many other deposits and oil-and-gas bearing areas in Turkmenistan step by step reveal thee secrets of their treasures proving Turkmenistan’s profound economic potential. Full-scale development of the abundant hydrocarbon resources will offer a powerful incentive to develop oil and gas industry and national economy in whole.