Kazakhstan’s giant Karachaganak oil and gas field cut crude production by more than a quarter after a drone attack forced the shutdown of a processing plant in Russia that handles its gas.
Karachaganak, one of Kazakhstan’s three largest hydrocarbon projects alongside Tengiz and Kashagan, accounts for about 10 percent of the country’s oil production. Because the field produces crude oil and natural gas together, it cannot significantly reduce gas output without also curtailing oil production.
As a result of the strike, Karachaganak is currently producing 25,000 tons of crude a day, down from 34,000 metric normally, Interfax reported, citing Kazakhstan Energy Minister Yerlan Akkenzhenov. That is equivalent to just over 180,000 barrels a day, according to Bloomberg calculations.
The cuts follow Wednesday’s drone attack on the Orenburg gas-processing plant in Russia, about 170 kilometers (106 miles) from the Kazakh border. The facility processes raw fuel from Karachaganak before returning commercial-grade supply to Kazakhstan. The plant halted operations after the attack, Ukraine’s General Staff said, although Bloomberg could not independently verify the claim.
Kazakhstan is aiming for another year of high oil production after reaching almost 100 million tons in 2025. Earlier this month, Akkenzhenov said the country expects to produce 98 million tons of crude, the top end of its previously announced forecast, according to Interfax.