Oil Consortium fined for gas flaring in Kazakhstan

This report is part of our former „Harmful Cases“ documentation, where we continuously and concisely recorded human rights violations, violations of international law or environmental destruction caused by companies.

An international consortium of oil companies (ENI, Shell, ExxonMobil, Total, CNPC. Inpex and KazMunaiGas) has been fined by the Kazakh Environment Ministry for flaring 2.8 million cubic metre of gas which is rich in hydrogen sulphide. When brunt, the gas produces sulphur dioxide and thus damages the environment. The consortium operates the Kashagan oil field in the Caspian Sea. It only started production in September 2013 but was suspended a few weeks later because of gas leaks.

Reuters, 7 March 2014: Kazakhstan sues Kashagan oil group for $737 mln in pollution case. (Accessed 11.03.2014)