Interfax reported that State Company Turkmenneft has struck a commercial gas flow while drilling the first exploration well at the new Kemer field in Balkan Velayat in western Turkmenistan.

According to preliminary data the planned depth of the well is 4,300 meters and the flow rate is 250,000 cubic meters of gas per day.

The company has so far only reached the first productive horizon. Geophysical surveys indicate that there are three more promising strata. This is further confirmation of the strong energy potential of the South Western part of the country where a number of major fields have been discovered including Korpedzhe, Keimir, South Kamyshlydzha, Akpatlavuk, Shatut, Nebitlidzhe and Altyguiy which now form the resource base for the Korpedzhe Kurt-Kui pipeline that takes Turkmen gas to Iran.

The local press reported that drilling at Kemer will soon continue. Turkmenneft plans to drill a second exploration well to study the Pliocene deposits.

(Sourced from Interfax)