Production suspension at Kazakhstan’s Kashagan field confirmed

Kazakhstan, Astana, Oct.11 /Trend D.Mukhtarov/ The North Caspian Operating Company (NCOC) international consortium confirmed the state of suspension of production at the Kashagan field on October 9. "Signs of a gas leak were detected in the second half of the day on October 9, 2013, during a planned inspection of the pipeline. This is constructed from Island D to the Bolashak plant at a distance of two kilometres from the plant in the sanitary protection zone," a message from the Department of Foreign Relations of the North Caspian Operating Company BV (NCOC) said on Friday. According to the message, depressurisation and treatment with nitrogen to making available the examination have been carried out as a preventive measure on the pipeline's corresponding stretch. "The Emergency Situations Department was notified immediately about the incident. No threat to human health and the environment have been observed. Excavation for opening the pipeline started on the morning on October 11. Once the work is completed, an inspection of the stretch will be carried out and if necessary, repair works will be carried out in line with the procedure. Oil production is suspended until the establishment of the cause of gas leak," the message said. Do you have any feedback? Contact our journalist at agency@trend.az