In the spotlight: the Kashagan field
Kazakhs keep up Kashagan pressure
Kazakhstan today threatened to revoke an Eni-led consortium's permit to exploit the giant offshore Kashagan oilfield due to environmental law violations.
The threat came a day after Italy's Eni and the government started negotiations over the future of the project.
The Caspian Sea site is one of the biggest oil finds in decades but has been beset by delays that have angered the government.
Ecology Minister Nurlan Iskakov told a government meeting his ministry had evidence that the AgipKCO consortium, which also includes Shell, ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips, was in breach of environmental laws.
"Work at Kashagan may be stopped altogether," Iskakov said. "If the obligations Agip has taken upon itself are not complied with, we are by law obliged to recall its permit because further operations will cause more ecological damage."
"The consortium has been notified of alleged environmental violations and is considering them," an Eni spokeswoman said
The statement was reminiscent of Russian accusations against the Shell-led consortium that was in charge of the giant Sakhalin 2 oil and gas project. Shell agreed to cede control to Russian state gas company Gazprom late last year.
Iskakov did not specify the nature of the previously unreported environmental damage or what measures AgipKCO should take, Reuters reported.