Environmental monitoring of oil production must be independent – Vadim Ni
At an extended Government meeting, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev instructed the extension of Production Sharing Agreements (PSA) under conditions favorable to the country, Kazinform News Agency reports.

Leading environmental activist and founder of the «Save the Caspian Sea» movement, Vadim Ni, spoke to Kazinform correspondent about the potential environmental consequences of this decision.
According to him, global attitudes toward the use of hydrocarbon resources and fuel are shifting, influenced in part by the political situation. In Kazakhstan, revising PSAs is inevitable, as extension without renegotiating conditions is not an option.
“There has been a precedent for making amendments and additions before. However, first and foremost, I would like to point out that today; Production Sharing Agreements are practically constitutional. It is no secret that they include environmental protection clauses, but it is important to understand that extraction in the Caspian and onshore comes with high environmental risks. Kazakh oil has high sulfur content; it is heavy. Previously, even the idea of transporting it without first extracting sulfur was not considered,” explained the environmentalist.
He also noted that environmental requirements for PSA projects remain undisclosed, making oversight difficult.
“Only energy specialists know the contents of these agreements. Environmentalists have no access to them, let alone the public. Of course, projects undergo environmental impact assessments, and documents are prepared, but overall, the conditions remain beyond the control of Kazakhstan’s citizens. And you cannot control what you do not know,” emphasized Vadim Ni.
In his opinion, if agreements are to be extended—especially in the case of the Tengiz field, where oil operations are expanding—they must be regulated and monitored under new conditions.
“One such condition is the requirement for independent environmental monitoring, or at the very least, enhanced government monitoring. Currently, oil companies hire their own contractors to conduct environmental monitoring. But how objective is this data? We need to know the real environmental situation—what substances are being released, whether the zero-discharge policy into the sea is being followed. Right now, no one can verify these claims,” stated the activist.
He warned that if oil operations in the Caspian are not strictly controlled, Kazakhstan risks losing the Caspian Sea.
“The situation is worsening every year. We are on the brink of losing the Caspian. Biological resources are suffering, the sea is receding, and this is no longer a cyclical process. Climate change plays a role, but the decreasing water volume and expanding shallow zones increase the dangers of oil extraction. The less water there is, the higher the concentration of pollutants,” noted the environmentalist.
He also pointed out that Kazakhstan’s existing environmental control mechanisms are ineffective.
“Environmentalists are effectively not involved in the process. The main issue is the secrecy surrounding PSA agreements. Information becomes available only at the implementation stage when it is too late to hold companies accountable. And even if fines are imposed, they are paid from Kazakhstan’s share, meaning the companies lose nothing. This contradicts the international polluter pays principle,” explained the expert.
Regarding the long-term risks associated with developing complex oil fields, Vadim Ni emphasized the need to consider potential accidents.
“Oil operations carry risks of spills, not only during extraction but also during transportation. Oil transport volumes are increasing. Let’s recall the early days of Caspian oil production—there were instances where millions of tons of pollutants were released into the atmosphere. There were also smaller accidents, but they still led to animal deaths,” he reminded.
He believes that extending PSA contracts should not be reduced to merely prolonging their terms.
“This is not just about extending agreements for another ten years. They need to be revised, and one of the key conditions should be the disclosure of environmental clauses. This should not be discussed solely within companies but should involve government environmentalists and the public. It is also necessary to determine who exactly will be responsible for compensating damages. Companies must take responsibility for covering environmental harm,” concluded Vadim Ni.
Earlier, the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation of Kazakhstan reported that a working group of experts has been assigned to study changes in the water level of the Caspian Sea.