Kazakhstan Plans to Include 25 New Subsoil Areas in Gas Exploration in 2026
In 2026, Kazakhstan plans to include 25 new prospective subsoil areas in the state subsoil management programme and thereby increase the country’s natural gas resource potential.
This was reported by the press service of the Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
The Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the national gas operator QazaqGaz, in accordance with the instruction of the Head of State K.-J. Tokayev, are implementing a comprehensive exploration programme.
It is specified that the main focus this year will be on:
- signing subsoil use contracts with China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) for the Severny-1 area and with Chevron for KT-III;
- transitioning to the active phase of geological and geophysical studies with the Italian company Eni at the Kamenovsky area.
With the acquisition of three licenses for state geological study of subsoil in the Central Pre-Caspian, Tengiz, and Shu-Sarysu basins, the geography of exploration activities will also expand. In addition, specialists from QazaqGaz will conduct a detailed assessment of the prospects of the Balkhash sedimentary basin to refine further exploration programmes.
In 2025, QazaqGaz signed five new subsoil use contracts for the Maldybai, Shalkar, Akkuduk, Severny-2, and Saralzhyn areas. According to the Ministry of Energy, strategic partners were привлечены to three projects, while the remaining two will be implemented by a профильная subsidiary of the Kazakh company.
It is recalled that in April 2025, QazaqGaz and the shareholders of the oil company KOR agreed to begin drilling at the Shalkar and Akkuduk subsoil areas.
In December last year, A. Dauletov, Deputy Chairman of the Management Board of QazaqGaz for Exploration and Production, and Vice Minister of Energy E. Akbarov signed a contract for exploration works at the Saralzhyn subsoil area. The site covers the territories of the Kaztalovsky, Bokeyordinsky, and Zhangalinsky districts of the West Kazakhstan region. The signed document предусматривает a set of geological exploration activities.
Also in November last year, QazaqGaz signed two documents with CNPC regarding further work on the Severny-1project. The partners concluded an agreement on joint operations at the site, as well as an agreement on financing the exploration phase until approval of the development project and transition to industrial production.
In 2025, Kazakhstan fulfilled its gas production plan of 62.8 billion cubic metres. Moreover, the target was reached ahead of schedule, already in November. Gas production in 2024 amounted to 59 billion cubic metres, which is 97.5% of the plan and 0.2% lower than in 2023.
In February, during a meeting between the Ministry of Energy of Kazakhstan and Gazprom, the possibility of cooperation in the field of underground gas storage was discussed. The underground gas storage project in Kazakhstanis expected to be implemented until 2029.
