New tracts of land have been added to Kazakhstan’s state subsoil resource management program, with plans to offer them for licensing for hydrocarbon exploration and production, according to documents published on the Ministry of Energy’s website. Notably, some of the newly added tracts contain cemeteries and animal burial grounds.
Specifically, the «Aksaz West» tract, comprising 223 blocks and covering a total area of 553.3 square kilometers in the Mangystau region, has been designated for hydrocarbon exploration and production. A cemetery is located within four blocks of the tract, covering an area of 9.91 square kilometers. The Aksaz field, covering 11.48 square kilometers and held by Emir Oil, is being excluded from the tract.
Animal burial grounds included in other tracts
Animal burial grounds are located within the «Vostochny» («Eastern») tract, which comprises 1,476 blocks and covers 3,364.16 square kilometers in the Aktobe region. One burial ground is located near the village of Karauylkeldi, spanning 26 blocks and covering 104.64 square kilometers. Others are located at two additional sites: one covering four blocks and 9.1 square kilometers, and another covering four blocks and 9.13 square kilometers.
Several animal burial grounds are also located within the «Karabas» tract, which comprises 1,743 blocks and covers 4,045.47 square kilometers in the East Kazakhstan region.
The burial grounds are located near the villages of Kazakhstan and Shengeldy, within an area comprising 21 blocks and covering 48.61 square kilometers. In the same area, livestock burial sites near the villages of Karasu and Sholakorda cover 37 blocks and 85.8 square kilometers.
There is also a livestock burial site near the village of Kuigan, comprising 14 blocks and covering 32.62 square kilometers, as well as another near the village of Zhambyl, comprising 11 blocks and covering 25.59 square kilometers.
New blocks designated for subsoil use
Following an auction, additional territories and subsoil blocks have been designated for the granting of subsoil-use rights for hydrocarbon exploration and production, or production alone.
These include Block E (Munaibai Zapadny), comprising 224 blocks and covering a total area of 540.37 square kilometers in the Mangystau region, and the Ashyksor site, comprising 73 blocks and covering 174.51 square kilometers in the Atyrau region.
