Kazakhstan, Astana, Aug. 19/ Trend D. Mukhtarov /
The oil extraction at "Kashagan" oilfield will start in the coming months, the head of "KazTransGas" Serik Sultangali said.
"I am afraid to say when exactly the oil extraction will start, but it is supposed to being in the coming months", he told journalists on Monday.
Earlier, the deputy executive director of the International Energy Agency (IEA) Richard Jones, in his speech at the international conference "The development of the Caspian shelf" in Atyrau, said, that oil extraction in "Kashagan" is to start in 2014, though earlier it was reported officially that the extraction period is October 2013.
NC KazMunaiGas JSC source earlier told Trend, that such a scenario, i.e. 2014, is not excluded. According to the source, the exctiniton period start in "Kashagan" will depend on the results of commissioning.
"Kashagan is a very complicated project. There is abnormally high reservoir pressure and a high content of hydrogen sulfide. That is why the oil extraction date has been postponed several times since December 2012, in order to provide safety during all the period of oil exctraction", the source said.
The source also reminded, that in October 2013 time comes when the government does not reimburse the expenditures of an international consortium, conducting development of "Kashagan" field.
"Tha's why the contractor tries to launch the project by October 2013, but everything will depend on the results of commissioning", the source said.
The source did not exclude, that the start of oil extraction may be spring of next year, as the ice season will end in the waters north of the Caspian Sea, which freezes in the winter time.
The starting of industrial production in the field was postponed repeatedly, and last time it was announced to start in October 2013
The North-Caspian project is being implemented under a production sharing agreement on the North Caspian Sea, signed Nov. 18, 1997, and includes the fields of Kashagan, Kairan, Aktoty, Kalamkas. Kashagan field is one of the largest fields in the world opened in the last 30 years with geological oil reserves of 4.8 billion tons.
The North Caspian Operating Company (NCOC) is the only operator of the North-Caspian project. Its shareholders are Agip Caspian Sea BV (16.81 percent), KMG Kashagan B.V. (16.81 percent), ConocoPhillips North Caspian Ltd. (8.4 percent), ExxonMobil Kazakhstan Inc., (16.81 percent), Inpex North Caspian Sea Ltd. (7.56 percent), Shell Kazakhstan Development BV (16.81 percent) and Total EP Kazakhstan (16.81 percent).