Exploration and Production of Minerals in the Republic of Kazakhstan

Exploration and Production of Minerals in the Republic of Kazakhstan

As a general rule, all issues related to exploration and production of minerals require special attention considering a specific character of legal regulation in this sector.

Subsoil users that perform activities under the contract on exploration, production, combined exploration and production often have questions regarding documents to be prepared and provided to competent authority for coordination and approval of design documents, time limits required for submission of the work program for approval, document that certifies transition from exploration to  production stage, actions required for the extension of the exploration period, including the timeframe required for evaluation of commercial discovery, as well as many other questions. We would like to offer our clients services on legal support of exploration and production operations in connection with execution of obligations under the subsoil use contract, in cases when judicial protection of a subsoil user’s rights is needed, and in other cases.

Experience:

• advising various international and Kazakh companies in connection with drafting subsoil use contracts (exploration, production, combined exploration and production), analysis of provisions of model contracts; advising international company in connection with extension of validity term of the contract for exploration/production;
• advising international oil company in connection with proposed purchase of the large oil deposit in Kazakhstan;
• advising a large foreign subsoil user concerning introduction of amendments to the work program; advising a large uranium company in connection with subsoil use issues relating to transition from exploration to production stage.

Publications:

• The changes in the investment climate due to the adoption of the new law on subsoil and subsoil use