Oil production at Kazakhstan's Kashagan field restored to 80% after maintenance - ministry

ASTANA. Nov 1 (Interfax) - Oil production following maintenance at Kazakhstan's Kashagan field has been restored to 80% as of November 1, the Kazakh Energy Ministry told Interfax.

"Production at Kashagan was restored to 80% as of November 1," it said. The ministry did not say how much oil the field was producing.

It said operations were shut down entirely in the period October 7-28 while a new inlet gas separator was connected and commissioned.

"The pre-maintenance level will be reached gradually," it said.

Initially, it was expected that the maintenance would take 30-40 days.

The ministry adjusted the oil production forecast for Kazakhstan in 2024 from 90.5 million tonnes to just over 88 million tonnes due to the shutdown of the country's largest field.

Kashagan field is Kazakhstan's first Caspian offshore oilfield and its biggest international investment project. Its recoverable reserves range from 9 billion-13 billion barrels of oil. Commercial production at Kashagan started on November 1, 2016. Kashagan produced 18.8 million tonnes of oil in 2023.

The shareholders of NCOC, the operator of the Kashagan field, are KMG Kashagan B.V., Shell (SPB: RDS.A) Kazakhstan Development B.V., Total EP Kazakhstan, AgipCaspian Sea B.V. and ExxonMobil Kazakhstan Inc., each with 16.807% stakes, as well as CNPC Kazakhstan B.V. with 8.333% and Inpex North-Caspian Sea Ltd. with 7.563%.