Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 5.
By Elena Kosolapova - Trend: North Caspian Operating Company (NCOC) operating Kashagan project in Kazakhstan leased the North-Caspian ecological base for oil-spill response, Kazinform reported.
The leasing agreement was signed between NC Production Operations Company B.V. (NCOC's agent) and KMG-Transcaspian.
According to NCOC Director for Corporate Services Murat Mukashev, the base will reduce the response time for possible oil spills and protect the coastline of the northern part of the Caspian Sea. Moreover, the base will mobilize specialized equipment in extreme shallow water.
Kashagan is a large oil and gas field in Kazakhstan located in the north of the Caspian Sea.
The total oil reserves amount to 38 billion barrels, while some 10 billion out of them are recoverable reserves. There are large natural gas reserves at the Kashagan field - over one trillion cubic meters. Oil production at Kashagan field was launched in September, however was suspended following two detected gas leaks at a pipeline running from the field to Bolashak Integrated Oil and Gas Plant.