ALMATY – Output at Kazakhstan’s Tengiz oil field has recovered to around 60% of its usual production levels. It is expected to return to full capacity by Feb. 23, according to two industry sources cited by Reuters news agency on Feb. 9.
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Tengiz field, which accounts for 40% of Kazakhstan’s total oil production, was largely shut down last month after fires damaged power facilities.
The partial recovery at Tengiz has already boosted the country’s overall oil and gas condensate output. Production averaged about 1.6 million barrels per day (bpd) during Feb. 1–8, up from 1.27 million bpd in January, the sources said.
According to Reuters, Tengiz produced 70,000 metric tons of oil, or roughly 550,000 barrels, on Feb. 8. The field is expected to reach peak daily production of around 120,000 tons, equivalent to approximately 950,000 bpd, by Feb. 23.
The sharp drop in Tengiz output has weighed heavily on Kazakhstan’s oil exports, particularly shipments through the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC), the country’s main export route. Industry sources said to Reuters that CPC exports may fall from a preliminary February loading plan of about 1.7 million bpd to around 1.1 million bpd.
In January, CPC Blend crude loadings dropped to just 880,000 bpd, nearly half of the originally scheduled volumes, reflecting the scale of the disruption at Tengiz.
