OKIOC intends to obtain the data on Eastern Kashagan deposit site on Caspian shelf in spring of 2000

/IRBIS, Dec.28, 99/ - PRIME-TASS informs, with the reference to the business support manager of the consortium Kenjebek Ibrashev, that OKIOC will obtain initial data on drilling works on prospective oil Eastern Kashagan horizon in Kazakhstani sector of Northern Caspian Sea in spring of 2000. By this time, 3.5 thousand meters have been drilled by the consortium of 4.5 thousand planned on the first exploration well of Eastern Kashagan. The rest of work is to be completed by spring of 2000. "Despite harsh winter conditions, OKIOC specialists have no intentions to stop the drilling works on the shelf of Caspian Sea", said Ibrashev. Maximum of 6 wells can be drilled by the consortium, which is specified in six year work program of OKIOC. The consortium have already spent $600 mln for exploration and developing hydrocarbon deposit sites on the northern Caspian Sea, and $300 mln of this amount was spent for seismic works. The consortium OKIOC was established in mid 1998 by "Kazakhstankaspiishelf", Agip, BG, BP/Statoil, Mobil, Shell and Total. Later Japanese Philips Petroleum Company and INPEX joined the consortium. Oil reserves of Kazakhstani sector of Caspian Sea is estimated at 12 bln tons of reference fuel.