New insights into hydrocarbon plays in the Caspian Sea, Kazakhstan

New exploration opportunities and improved imaging of already known prospects in the Caspian Sea, Kazakhstan, are presented, based on the acquisition, processing and interpretation of long-offset 2D seismic data acquired by CGGVeritas from 2006–2009. We have identified further examples of three already successful plays in the Caspian Sea and onshore, within open blocks in the North Caspian and North Ustyurt basins and a fourth, relatively unknown play, in the North Ustyurt basin. The already known plays include Devono-Carboniferous carbonate reefs and clastics, Triassic–Tertiary post-salt clastics and carbonates in the North Caspian basin and Jurassic–Cretaceous post-thrust clastics and carbonates in the North Ustyurt basin. The fourth play that we have identified comprises thrust faults, anticlinal structures with Late Palaeozoic–Early Mesozoic clastic and carbonate reservoirs in the North Ustyurt basin which, to our knowledge, has not been tested elsewhere in the region.