UPDATE 1-Kazakhstan cuts oil and gas field output after drone attack on Russian plant

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Field output hit as gas processing depends on Russia facility

Oil and condensate output down by around 25%

Domestic gas supply unaffected, minister says

Minister says Russia has not officially asked for fuel

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By Tamara Vaal

- Kazakhstan has cut gas production at its Karachaganak oil and gas condensate field after Ukraine's drone attack this week on the Orenburg gas processing plant in Russia, Energy Minister Erlan Akkenzhenov told reporters on Friday.

Raw gas from Karachaganak, whose stakeholders include Chevron CVX.N and Shell SHEL.L, is usually delivered across the border to the Orenburg plant.

Kyiv said on Wednesday it hit the plant, located about 1,700 km (1,060 miles) east of Ukraine.

Oil and gas output at Karachaganak are closely linked, meaning the field is not able to produce much oil if its gas production is down.

The plant was also hit last October.

"Naturally, we have reduced the gas intake," Akkenzhenov said. "However, gas supplies to all of Kazakhstan have not been interrupted."

Oil and gas condensate output at Karachaganak was down by about a quarter, to 25,000 metric tons per day, or 196,500 barrels per day, from 34,000 tons, the minister added.

It produced about 263,000 bpd of oil in 2024. The product was exported by the Caspian Pipeline Consortium via a Russian Black Sea terminal and also shipped through Russia's Druzhba pipeline to Germany.

It supplies gas to Orenburg under a long-term purchase pact between Karachaganak Petroleum Operating (KPO) and KazRosGas that runs until 2038.

In addition to Chevron and Shell, Karachaganak's stakeholders include Italy's Eni ENI.MI, Russia's Lukoil LKOH.MM and local firm KazMunayGas KMGZ.KZ.

Ukraine has said its campaign of long-range drone strikes on Russian energy facilities aims to weaken a key source of military funding and bring the conflict closer to home for Russians.

President Vladimir Putin has said such attacks on civilian infrastructure are intended to sow discord among the population.

Russia has not officially asked Kazakhstan for fuel supplies, Akkenzhenov told reporters.

Four industry sources told Reuters on Wednesday that Russia was in talks with Kazakhstan to import about 50,000 metric tons of AI-92 gasoline to ease a domestic shortage caused by refinery outages and unscheduled repairs.