Media: Ukraine drone strike on Russian gas plant cuts Kazakhstan output

Kazakhstan has been forced to reduce output at its Karachaganak oil and gas field by 25–30% following a Ukrainian drone attack on Russia’s Orenburg gas processing plant, two industry sources told Reuters on October 20.

Orenburg, one of the world’s largest gas plants, suspended its intake of Kazakh gas after the strike, Kazakhstan’s energy ministry confirmed on October 19.

Ukraine acknowledged targeting the Orenburg facility, located some 1,700 kilometres east of its border, along with an oil refinery in the Samara region. 

Kyiv has intensified attacks on Russian energy infrastructure since August in an effort to disrupt fuel supplies and weaken Moscow’s revenue streams.

Production at Karachaganak dropped to between 25,000 and 28,000 metric tons on October 20 from its typical 35,000–35,500 metric tons, according to the sources, who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the situation.

They added that Orenburg may resume some gas intake from Karachaganak later in the day, but it remains unclear when normal supply levels will be restored.

Karachaganak, which produced around 263,000 barrels of oil per day in 2024, exports through the Caspian Pipeline Consortium via a Russian Black Sea terminal and the Druzhba pipeline to Germany.

The field is operated by a consortium including Chevron (18%), Shell (29.25%), Eni (29.25%), Russia’s Lukoil (13.5%) and KazMunayGaz (10%).

Requests for comment from the consortium, Gazprom, and Kazakhstan’s energy ministry went unanswered.

By Aghakazim Guliyev