Kashagan oilfield operator NCOC pays KZT12bn worth fine for environmental protection violations

North Caspian Operating Company (NCOC), which operates the Kashagan oilfield, has paid in full a fine of 12 billion 419 million tenge it faced back in 2022 for violating environmental protection rules, Kazinform News Agency reports.

It is said that in 2022, as a result of the environmental inspectorate’s inspection of the maritime complex of the North Caspian Operating Company (NCOC), a number of environmental violations by the company were revealed, including sulfur dioxide burning without environmental permit issuing and waste water discharge into the Caspian Sea without treatment.

NCOC faced five administrative cases brought before the Specialized Administrative Court of Atyrau city. In this February, the appeal court of Atyrau city handed NCOC a fine of 12 billion 419 million tenge, which the company paid in full, reads the statement from the environmental regulation and control committee of the ecology and natural resources ministry of Kazakhstan.

Currently, the order to eliminate the violations by NCOC is pending before the Supreme Court. Previously, the courts of first and second instances of Astana city recognized the order as legitimate.