The Chevron-led venture Tengizchevroil has started to restore production at the Tengiz oil field, Kazakhstan’s largest, after operations were partially suspended earlier this month.
The first well was successfully brought back online at 3:35 a.m. local time, according to a statement from the Kazakh energy ministry. A total of five wells are currently in operation.
Output will be ramped up gradually, the ministry said. The energy ministry and KazMunayGas are supporting the project operator to accelerate the return to planned output levels.
Energy Minister Yerlan Akkenzhenov said on Jan. 28 that Kazakhstan expects the oil field to reach full production within a week, boosting the Central Asian country’s output that’s been blighted since late last year by a series of incidents.
Exports from Tengizchevroil were restricted following a series of drone attacks on moorings at Russia’s Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) terminal on the Black Sea, the main conduit for Kazakhstan’s crude. That was followed by fires at three power transformers that caused the venture to halt production on Jan. 19.
