Tethys plans Aral-4 and Kul-Bas drilling in Kazakhstan
Tethys Petroleum’s Kul-Bas oil field in the Republic of Kazakhstan has formally transitioned to a Production Period under Subsoil Use Contract Addendum #14, effective from 17 February through 27 July.
The company reported that oil production from wells KBD-02, KBD-06 and KBD-07 averaged about 382 tons per day in 2026, with output constrained by issues with a gas turbine unit and a compressor. A new gas turbine is expected to be put into service shortly.
On the drilling front, Tethys has plans to drill an exploration well (ARD-01, also called Kronos) on the Aral-4 block, with planned depth targets in the Barremian and Upper Jurassic zones to about 2,300 m starting in May, with a possible extension to the Middle Jurassic at about 2,600 m.
The board also approved drilling an appraisal well at Kul-Bas (KBD-05) planned for a July or August 2026 start, and is evaluating a second Aral-4 prospect, Kulandy (ARD-02), for possible drilling later in the year.
