The Kazakhstani vessels will be crossing the border free in the Caspian Sea

Almaty. March 17. Silkroadnews - According to the draft law “On amendments and additions to some legislative acts of the Republic of Kazakhstan on environmental issues”, the Kazakhstani vessels will cross the border free in the Caspian Sea, vice-minister of energy of the Republic of Kazakhstan Aset Magauov said, KazTAG reports.
“We introduce a norm that allows our vessels operating in the Caspian Sea, during the development of the Kazakhstani sector of the Caspian Sea, freely crossing the border several times’, - A. Magauov said on Thursday.
According to him, an appropriate procedure has been developed as agreed with the Border Service of Kazakhstan.
“At present every time the vessel crosses the border control it shall pass though the procedures appropriate, which complicates the operation process a lot especially taking into account the scheduled beginning of Kashagan production facilities,” - he explained.
Earlier it was reported that Kazakhstan’s parliament approved the amendments on environmental issues in the first reading.
It is planned to amend the existing legislation to improve regulation of     technologically unavoidable gas flaring cases in gas and oil industries, as well as regulation of crossing the state border while operating on the continental subsoil development.
To remind, the chairman of the board of “KazMunaiGas” JSC Sauat Mynbayev believes the oil production at Kashagan may resume this October despite the difficulties in welding works.
Kashagan is a major oil and gas field in Kazakhstan, located in the north of the Caspian Sea.
Geological reserves are estimated as 4.8 billion tons of oil. The total oil reserves are 38 billion barrels. The commercial resources, according to the experts, are in the range from nine to thirteen billion barrels of oil. There are also large reserves of natural gas - more than one trillion cubic meters.
The oil production at Kashagan began on September 11, 2013. However, on September 24 during a routine inspection of the pipeline from island D to the “Bolashak” plant an oil-associated gas leakage was discovered and production at Kashagan has been suspended.
After completion of repairs in October a planned inspection of the pipeline again revealed a leakage signs. The pipeline cracking as influenced by the sulfide compounds was referred to as a cause of gas leakage.