Tengizchevroil, the operator of Kazakhstan's largest oil field, has initiated a gradual, staged resumption of oil and gas production following a shutdown caused by fires at the field's primary power plant, GTES-4, on January 18. The restart became possible after the in-field power distribution system was safely brought back online.

Current Production Status and Impact

Production has restarted at the field's Second Generation Plant (SGP) at an initial rate of approximately 20,000 barrels per day. This represents a small fraction of the field's capacity, as Tengiz produced over 850,000 barrels per day in 2025 following a major upgrade. The Future Growth Project (FGP) facilities, which rely on power from the damaged GTES-4 plant and significantly boosted output last year, have not yet been restarted. The operator has not provided a timeline for a full return to normal production levels.

Cause of Shutdown and Repair Efforts

The production halt was triggered by fires at two of the five gas-fired turbines at the 500-megawatt GTES-4 power plant. Repair work has been assisted by the delivery of spare parts from other major oil and gas projects in Kazakhstan, Kashagan and Karachaganak. A special commission involving state and company representatives has been formed to investigate the accident.

Planned Production Increase

Work is underway to increase the supply of hydrocarbons to the SGP plant starting next week. A system of pumps, scheduled to begin operations on February 2, will raise the pressure of the incoming hydrocarbon stream. This will allow the operator to open additional producing wells and supply more oil and gas to the processing plant, enabling a further increase in output.

Stakeholders and Government Concern

The Tengiz field is a major contributor to the production of its key shareholders, Chevron (50%) and ExxonMobil (25%). Kazakhstan's Prime Minister expressed concern over the shutdown during a meeting with an ExxonMobil executive, emphasizing the need to promptly address the accident's consequences and prevent future incidents.

Export Context

The production restart coincides with the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) removing restrictions on oil exports from Tengiz and other Kazakh fields. The CPC pipeline, which handles about 83% of Kazakhstan's oil exports, had been operating with limited capacity since December due to damage from a drone attack on a loading buoy. The consortium has now completed maintenance and restarted operations at an offshore loading buoy, facilitating the resumed export flow to international markets.