The Tengizchevroil oil company (TCO) temporarily closed its rotational camp in Tengiz, Atyrau Oblast (Region), for rotation workers from other Kazakhstani regions. This information was released by Interfax Kazakhstan cited to Rzabek Artygaliev, PR manager in the TCO.
«Except for the Atyrau region residents, no workers from other Kazakhstani regions can enter our rotational camp in Tengiz. Personnel who live in the Atyrau region might get permission to work if they have only been staying in the region for the last fourteen days and can pass through medical control before traveling to Tengiz,» Artygaliev said.
He also explained that because of new coronavirus, the duration workers stay in the camp now is much longer.
«The workers stay in the camp longer but all these extra days will be compensated. All payments to our contractors are regulated by collective and individual agreements as well as the Labor Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan,» the TCO PR manager noticed.
As of March 26, 2020, no cases of new coronavirus were reported at the Tengiz oil field and all work is under routine operation, the TCO official said.
The joint Kazakhstani/US company has no plans to cut the staff, at least for the moment.
«Because of lower oil prices we have to optimize the company’s budget, but this will not affect our employees. There are no major obstacles for oil transportation, and all activities under the Future Growth Project (FGP) are on schedule,» Artygaliev stated.
However, almost 70% of company personnel, most of whom are office workers, now work distantly or have flexible working hours with no cut in salaries. This category of employees also includes elders and those who are medically at risk.
The start of TCO’s FGP to expand production by approximately 12 million tons per year was suspended until mid-2023 when another Wellhead Pressure Management Project (WPMP) should be completed. The Wellhead Pressure Management Project (WPMP) will keep existing plants full by installation of a central pressure boost facility. Both FGP and WPMP projects are being executed together to realize efficiencies and cost savings.
As of March 27, 2020, 121 cases of new coronavirus were reported in Kazakhstan: 60 cases in Nur-Sultan, 48 in Almaty, four in Karaganda, three in Zhambyl Oblast, two in Shymkent, and one each in Almaty Oblast, Aktobe, North Kazakhstan and Akmola Regions.
The first coronavirus case in Kazakhstan was reported on March 13. Three days later President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev declared an emergency that will last until April 15. On March 19 quarantine was introduced in Nur-Sultan and Almaty.
