First oil at giant Kashagan field

The Caspian field situated 80 kilometres southeast of Atyrauis thought to hold as much as 35 billion barrels of oil in place.

It is expected to produce 180,000 barrels per day in theinitial phase before ramping up to 350,000 barrels per day.

The field is being brought online almost a decade later thanhad first been envisaged by the seven-member venture, which was formed in 1997.

ExxonMobil,