Results of drilling at Amangeldy gas field surpassed all expectations - rep of San drilling group

/IRBIS, March 20, 02/ - Kazakhstan today informs, with the reference to the deputy director of San drilling group, Mukhamed Sarbaev, that the drilling of the second well is complete at Amangeldy gas field and the results are beyond expectations. The prime-minister, Imangali Tasmagambetov said that from 2003 the field will be completely ready as he visited the site. Sarbaev stated that first four drilling would either prove or disprove the expectations, and that current results were far beyond expectations and the gas was useful for household use. It was said that the business-plan of the pipeline from Amangeldy field to Taraz city has been developed with the help of the akimat, which will cost about $32m. Expected capacity of the field is at 0.7-1bn cubic meters of gas a year and the projected capacity of the pipeline is 700m cubic meters a year. Also, total capital investments are expected to exceed $150m, informs KazTransGas CJSC. The government allocated KZT2.5bn to assist the project in 2001 and another KZT2.6bn is planned for this year. The remaining amount should come from investments. Now the third well is being drilled and 454 meters have been finished. Meanwhile, commercial production of gas is planned for the next year in the first quarter. The development of this field determines the supply of stable quantity of gas to southern regions of the country.