In Kazakhstan, the appraisal programme on the Doris oil discovery and further exploration on the Akkulka block is continuing. Operations are currently underway on three wells namely, AKD02, G6RE and AKD03, all of which have possible oil bearing zones which are being evaluated. The 3D seismic survey is also underway focused initially on the core area of the Doris structure and then extending into the immediate surrounding area. Initial testing operations have commenced on AKD02 and testing is planned over the next few weeks on zones which appear to be oil bearing in wells G6RE and AKD03.

The planned total depth for the G6RE well is 2,820 metres. The first test on well G6RE should be mid-September. Well AKD03 is currently at a depth of 2,535 metres with the pilot hole being reamed out in order to run the next casing string.

In Tajikistan, the KOM201 well on the Komsomolsk gas field is currently drilling ahead at a depth of 1,285 metres in the Cretaceous section. Directional drilling equipment is expected to arrive shortly to deviate the well to the south towards the mapped crestal area of the field. Planned total depth is 2,475 metres which should be reached sometime in late September.

Finally, in Uzbekistan, the full field dynamic reservoir model for the North Urtabulak field is now complete and indicates that additional oil can be recovered from the field with a reconfiguration of the water injection scheme and additional drilling. In light of this, work is underway to reconfigure the water injectors to give better reservoir pressure maintenance.

An initial five-well radial side-track drilling programme will commence in September with four planned lateral wells per wellbore.