More Than 20 Promising Oil and Gas Fields Identified in Kazakhstan’s Aral Basin

A large-scale state geological exploration program in Kazakhstan has identified more than 20 promising hydrocarbon sites in the Aral Basin. The announcement was made by Kanat Yerubaev, Acting Chairman of the Geology Committee of the Ministry of Industry and Construction. According to Yerubaev, by the end of last year 29 promising exploration areas had been identified as part of the state geological study program, covering a range of minerals from gold and copper to lead, zinc, and tungsten. Particular attention was given to oil and gas. Work in the Aral Basin enabled specialists to specify the geological structure of the region, identify new structural elements, and assess forecast hydrocarbon resources. More than 20 sites have been classified as promising, and the Ministry of Energy intends to auction subsoil use rights for these areas later this year. The Geology Committee estimates forecast hydrocarbon resources at one Aral Basin site at approximately 800 million tons. An even larger potential, exceeding 1 billion tons of oil and gas, has been identified in the Syr Darya Basin in the southwest of the country. Exploration activities there began in 2024 and are scheduled for completion in 2026. If these forecasts are confirmed, Kazakhstan’s proven oil reserves could increase by more than 25%. The current state balance sheet records more than 4 billion tons of proven oil reserves, sufficient for over 50 years at current production levels. In 2026, new seismic exploration projects are scheduled to begin in other relatively underexplored sedimentary basins, including North Turgai, Shu-Sarysu, and Priirtysh. Yerubaev noted that Kazakhstan is moving away from geological surveys conducted at a 1:200,000 scale, which provide only a general overview, and transitioning to more detailed 1:50,000 scale surveys. He compared the shift to “getting a navigator instead of a world map, where you can see every step,” emphasizing that such precision aligns with international standards and supports informed investment decisions. At the same time, the sector’s digital infrastructure continues to develop. Kazakhstan operates a unified subsoil use platform that provides 22 government services and access to more than 66,000 geological reports. By the end of 2025, 97.5% of primary geological data,  approximately 4.7 million records, is expected to be digitized, with full digitization scheduled for completion this year. Approximately $485.5 million has been allocated for state-funded geological research projects over the next three years. Under current legislation, 50% of subscription bonuses collected from auctions for subsoil use rights are to be reinvested in the sector to support geological development and infrastructure modernization. This framework is designed to create a sustainable model in which revenues from subsoil licensing are directed back into further exploration. The Times of Central Asia previously reported that Kazakhstan had become one of the global leaders in proven rare earth metal reserves.