Kazakhstan’s oil production fell 3% from March to 1.82 million barrels per day (bpd) in April, but was again above the country’s OPEC+ quota, according to an industry source familiar with the statistics, and Reuters calculations.
Kazakhstan’s output has become the main point of contention inside OPEC+, with group leader Saudi Arabia demanding that members respect their quotas.
Kazakhstan, a top-10 oil producer, had an OPEC+ quota for April of 1.473 million bpd.
The country’s energy ministry said earlier in May that it was committed to the OPEC+ agreement, but didn’t plan to cut output, as it had “frequently informed” its OPEC+ partners.
OPEC+ has agreed to accelerate oil production hikes for a second consecutive month, raising output in June by 411,000 barrels per day, despite falling prices and expectations of weaker demand.
Kazakhstan’s oil production has risen this year as a result of an expansion at the Chevron-led Tengiz oil field, the country’s largest. However, in April the field produced 885,000 bpd, down from 950,000 bpd in March.
Kazakhstan’s energy ministry did not immediately reply to a request for comment on Wednesday.
Previously Kazakhstan pledged to compensate for overproduction by reducing its cumulative output by 1.3 million bpd by April 2026.
Western oil majors, including Shell, ExxonMobil, TotalEnergies and Eni, as well as Chevron, are active in Kazakhstan oil projects.
(Reporting by Reuters; Editing by Kirsten Donovan)