Executing President's Instructions: Dangerous oil wells to be eliminated in Atyrau & Mangystau rgns

The work program provides for liquidation and conservation of oil and gas wells primarily in areas where they are flooded by the waters of the Caspian Sea and on-land wells in critical conditions. There will be a further examination of all the regions to identify self-emission, emergency and unowned wells.

The work has began after the Government's session on October 11 where the problem was announced by the Akim of Atyrau region Baktykozha Izmukhambetov. The Head of the state instructed to study the problem and clean up the abandoned oil wells.

The wells which turned unpromising scattered around the Caspian Sea coast. They were drilled in the early 60's, 70's and later. Wells had owners in the face of the subsoil users. But in the 90's most of the oil organizations working in the field have been eliminated.

In the early 90's the Caspian Sea level rose and some wells occurred under water or in the zone of possible flooding. In 2004 the Government adopted a program for the elimination of hazardous wells which was allocated KZT 3 billion. As a result over the five years of the program work there were eliminated 47 oil and 42 self-emission hydro wells.

It is assumed that the work on detection and abandonment of dangerous wells will start from the next year. Ministry of Economy and Budget Planning was applied for KZT 512,477 million for operations on conservation and liquidation of 40 emergency oil wells.