Tengizchevroil Suspends Some Work Because of COVID-19

The Tengizchevroil Company temporarily stopped some types of work at the Tengiz oil field due to COVID-19. This measure will stay in place until the epidemiological situation starts to improve, the Interfax news agency reports.

According to the latest data, 73 Tengizchevroil employees were infected with new coronavirus, as well as 1194 personnel of the company’s contractors.

«We just suspended some work at the oil field. Actually, these are very small projects that do not have any impact on the production cycle. The Future Growth Project has been implemented by 77%; for now, only very critical projects are under operation,» Tengizchevroil said.

As of June 15, 2020, there were 41065 COVID-19 cases reported in Kazakhstan with 13558 recovered and 188 dead. In the Atyrau region (where the Tengiz oil field is located), the number of infected is 4133 with six dead.

Earlier on June 15, Tengizchevroil had made personnel rotation for the first time since the beginning of the state of emergency in March. During that period of time, 1200 workers became infected.

Since then Tengizchevroil has downsized the number of personnel on the site to 13700 people including the company’s own staff as well as its contractors’ employees. Because work on the Future Growth Project was suspended, about 26000 workers in total were evacuated from the site. 

The first case of coronavirus on the Tengizchevroil oil field was reported on April 8. In the middle of that month, the company decided to suspend some work and slowdown its activity on increasing oil output.