Oil production on the Kashagan field in the Kazakhstan sector of the Caspian Sea could begin in December 2016, Novosti Kazakhstan quoted Kazakhstan Energy Minister Vladimir Shkolnik as saying.
“The repair of the pipelines on the Kashagan, which are of low quality, is going according to a strict schedule. The works had to be completed in December 2016 and we then we will launch the field,” Shkolnik told journalists.
“We are, certainly, interested in doing that as soon as possible, but right now we are three weeks ahead of the schedule,” he added.
The production on the Kashagan field was resumed in September 2013, two weeks after commencement, because of gas leakage. Another leakage was detected right after resumption of production in October 2013. The examination that lasted several months revealed numerous micro cracks on the pipe caused by impact of associated gas with high content sulfur on the metal.
