AFGHANISTAN has launched its first oil&gas bidding round after many years of exile from the petroleum community.
The still strife-torn state is to put exploration and production-sharing contracts together to explore acreage in northern Afghanistan.
The blocks on offer are Jangalikalan (gas), Juma-Bashikurd (gas) and Kashkari (oil).
All three blocks have known hydrocarbon-bearing accumulations: Jangalikalan – Jangalikalan; Juma-Bashikurd – Juma and Bashikurd; Kashkari – Kashkari, Angoat and Aqdarya.
Most of the oil&gas fields were discovered in the 1970s during Soviet-led exploration campaigns, except Angoat, which was discovered in 1967.
Angoat is the only oilfield which has been in sustained production in Afghanistan, and this is the field which was in traditional production for heating purposes as well as crude oil.
The Afghan authorities say the Kashkari field was reported to have produced modest amounts of oil for six months in the late-1980s.
The remaining finds in this tender have not been produced.
Producing reservoirs are found in Cretaceous and Jurassic sediments. Most of the gas is in the Jurassic and is sour.
The Afghan ministry of mines has embarked on a roadshow, which is scheduled to visit Dubai, London, Calgary, Houston and Singapore.
A bidders’ conference for pre-qualified prospective bidders may be held in Dubai in July. The bid submission closing date is at present set at noon on September 15.