Azernews.Az

Denmark's Maersk Oil plans to increase oil production up to 30,000 bpd within Phase II of developing the Kazakh Dunga field, the company reported, according to Trend news agency.

"In the coming three years, four drilling rigs at Dunga will complete a new well every three weeks. When all 198 wells are drilled by 2015, production is expected to be 30,000 bpd and add around 15,000 bpd to Maersk Oil's entitlement production," the company said.

"We made a commitment to deliver first oil in December this year and we have done just that. The Dunga field has a lot of potential. This is just the first step in a long journey with an even higher activity level in 2013 and until expected project completion in 2015," managing director of Maersk Oil Kazakhstan Morten Kelstrup said.

Dunga Phase II is estimated at $1 billion.

"We are already looking at a Phase III for Dunga and we expect to drill other appraisal and exploration wells in the area. We see significant growth opportunities in Kazakhstan so we have some very exciting further years," Kelstrup said.

The Dunga field is currently producing 7,000 barrels per day. Maersk Oil is operator of the field with a 60 percent share, with partners Partex Corporation (20 percent) and Oman Oil Company Limited (20 percent).

Maersk Oil is an international oil and gas company with operated production of about 625,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day in offshore Denmark, UK and Qatar, as well as onshore Kazakhstan. Exploration activities are ongoing in Angola, Brazil, Norway and the Gulf of Mexico.