ASTANA, Kazakhstan, April 25. Kazakhstan lost around 20,000 tons of oil owing to the shutdown of production at a number of wells due to floods, said Vice Minister of Energy of Kazakhstan Askhat Khassenov, Trend reports.
"Since the flood began, we have lost 20,000 tons of oil. As the water recedes, the consequences are eliminated," he said.
As the Vice Minister noted, as a result of the flood, production at 635 wells was suspended.
"Production has resumed at a number of wells. Approximately 450 wells remain inoperative," Khassenov said.
The floods in Kazakhstan started in March, prompting the declaration of a state of emergency in eight regions at the local level. Tens of thousands of individuals were engaged in rescue efforts. More than 119,000 people have been evacuated in Kazakhstan since the beginning of the floods.
Meanwhile, Kazakhstan produced 90 million tons of oil in 2023, which is 6.9 percent higher than in 2022. Oil exports also increased and amounted to 70.5 million tons, which is 9.6 percent more than the previous year.
Moreover, Kazakhstan plans to increase oil production in 2024 to 90.3 million tons.