6.7.2 Kazakhstan

RSDD-H surveying identifies Tengiz field with high confidence (Image I) (the red contour is an industry outline of the field extent). This particular image also reveals four nearby satellites / prospects suggesting additional discovery potential that merits full exploration progression through drilling.

Kazakhstan is a country with world class hydrocarbon reserves and major remaining exploration potential. By example, Tengiz field is one of the largest oilfields in the world. It was discovered in 1979 and is estimated to hold up to 25 billion barrels of oil originally in place, of which 6 to 9 billion barrels are recoverable using current exploitation technologies. (It has large reserves of associated natural gas too). The hydrocarbon trap at Tengiz is an immense Carboniferous attoll reef (limestone) on the southern margin of the deep North Caspian Basin.

The field is located in the arid "Caspian Low Desert" ecosystem, where salt swamps and ephemeral lakes alternate with claystone and sandstone massifs.

Based on this example and similar research works it seems  that RSDD-H surveying will prove effective throughout this Pri-Caspian Basin, across much of Kazakhstan and indeed over most of the arid terrains of Central Asia.