ASTANA, Kazakhstan, February 20. Kashagan
operator NCOC criticized for ignoring environmental standards in
Kazakhstan’s Parliament, Trend reports
The deputy of the Kazakhstan Mazhilis (parliament), Azhar
Sagandykova, asked a direct question to the CEO of North Caspian
Operating Company (NCOC), Giancarlo Ruiu, regarding the failure to
comply with environmental standards.
"It's easier for you to just pay the fines — to spend these billions — than to actually focus on developing our values, including environmental protection," Sagandykova remarked.
In response, Ruiu noted that NCOC takes criticism into account and has been actively working on improving its environmental strategy for the past ten years.
The court fined NCOC a whopping $6.6 million in January 2025 for repeated instances of flaring associated petroleum gas.