LAW OF THE REPUBLIC OF KAZAKHSTAN

of December 26, 2025 No. 243-VIII ZRK

About modification and amendments in the Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan "About subsoil and subsurface use" concerning enhancement of subsurface use in the field of hydrocarbons and uranium"

Article 1. Bring in the Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan of December 27, 2017 "About subsoil and subsurface use" the following changes and amendments:

1) in Article 36:

add Item 1-1 with subitem 3-1) of the following content:

"3-1) standard contract on exploration and production of hydrocarbons on the subsoil plot located within the poorly studied territories;";

2) of Item 1-2 to exclude the paragraph of the sixth of the subitem;

to add Item 1-3 part one after the words "to the difficult project" with words ", except for the subsoil plots located within the poorly studied territories";

add with Items 1-5 and 2-2 of the following content:

"1-5. The poorly studied territories the territories within which limited regional geological studying by results of which perspective decantation basins were not revealed were not carried out or carried out are recognized.

The procedure for reference of the territories to the poorly studied territories for the purposes of exploration and production of hydrocarbons is determined by authorized body by studying of subsoil in coordination with competent authority.";

"2-2. The contract for subsurface use on the subsoil plot on which the decision on transfer to trust management of the national company in the field of hydrocarbons in connection with the termination of the right of subsurface use was made earlier in addition to the conditions provided by Items 2 and 2-1 of this Article shall include the following conditions on compensation:

1) to the trustee of the costs made according to the trust management agreement, and also on payment of remuneration to it, except as specified, provided by this Code;

2) to the former subsoil user of cost of the equipment and other property transferred according to the subitem 1) of Item 8 of article 107 of this Code;

3) to the state of cost of the transferred property acquired and (or) received by the trustee in the course of trust management.";

in Item 5 of the word "exploration and production, the contract for production, the contract for exploration and production of hydrocarbons on the difficult project or the contract for hydrocarbon production on the difficult project" to replace with the word "subsurface use";

2) in Article 40:

add Item 2 with the subitem 4) of the following content:

"4) under the contract for exploration and production of hydrocarbons in the first three years of operation of the contract, except as specified, stipulated in Item the 8th Article 103 and Item 3 of article 160 of this Code.";

the second Item 3 to add part with the offer the second the following content:

"In case of transition of the right of subsurface use (share in the subsurface use right) provided by the subitem 10) of Item 2 of Article 44 of this Code, the specified application is submitted by the acquirer of the right of subsurface use (share in the subsurface use right).";

Article 42 to add 3) with Item 2-1 of the following content:

"2-1. Transition of the objects connected with the subsurface use right under the contract for exploration and production of hydrocarbons within the first three years from the date of its conclusion is forbidden if such contract is the only thing in connection with which object is recognized the object connected with the subsurface use right in the absence of another (others) the contract (contracts) for exploration and production or hydrocarbon production.";

Item 2 of Article 43 to state 4) in the following edition:

"2. The subsoil plot is strategic:

1) containing geological inventories of oil of more than fifty million tons or natural gas more than fifteen billion cubic meters.

Content of geological inventories of oil or natural gas is confirmed by the approved subsoil user and the report on calculation of geological inventories of hydrocarbons which received the positive decision of state examination of subsoil;

2) located in the Kazakhstan sector of the Caspian Sea.

The subsoil plot is recognized located in the Kazakhstan sector of the Caspian Sea if all geographical coordinates of the territory of such subsoil plot are located within the site of bottom and subsoil which space borders with sites of the adjacent countries are established by the international treaties ratified by the Republic of Kazakhstan, and the space border with the land passes across the line which is formed as a result of the maximum setup of water of the Caspian Sea;

3) containing the field of uranium.

Content of the field of uranium is confirmed by the approved subsoil user and the report on calculation of geological inventories of uranium which received the positive decision of state examination of subsoil. If the subsoil plot contains the rare-earth and uranium field, for the purposes of this subitem such subsoil plot is recognized the subsoil plot containing the field of uranium.

The list of strategic subsoil plots and procedure for its maintaining affirm competent authority in coordination with authorized body on studying of subsoil.";

Item 2 of Article 44 to add 5) with the subitem 15) of the following content:

"15) forced reorganization of the legal entity on the judgment which took legal effect, and also in the cases provided by the laws of the Republic of Kazakhstan.";

The subitem 3) of Article 59 to exclude 6);

7) in Article 64:

state subitem 16-1) in the following edition:

"16-1) developments and approvals of the instruction for classification of inventories of fields and forecast resources of the minerals including relating to nonconventional hydrocarbons;";

add with subitem 16-2) of the following content:

"16-2) developments and approvals of method of stock counting of the minerals including relating to nonconventional hydrocarbons;";

8) in Article 70:

in Item 3:

in part two of the word "for investigation or production of uranium on the uranium or rare-earth and uranium field" shall be replaced with words "the national company in the field of uranium for investigation or production of uranium on the uranium field";

add with parts three and the fourth the following content:

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