Oil and gas production was not stopped in Kazakhstan, Kazakh Minister of Energy Magzum Mirzagaliev said, Trend reports on Jan. 7.

Mirzagaliev said that Kazakhstan’s oil and gas industry is operating as usual.

“There is a certain decline in oil and gas production at Tengiz field due to the restriction on the export of the extracted products,” the minister said. “All three refineries operate as usual and have been fully supplied with oil.”

The minister added that there are temporary restrictions on the sale of liquefied petroleum gas in the western and southern districts of the country due to the need to comply with safety measures at filling stations, as well as due to the lack of the internet for making mutual settlements.

“At the same time, taking into account the stabilization of the situation, the owners of filling stations are restoring the sale of liquefied gas,” Mirzagaliev said. “As is known, the retail prices were reduced up to 50-75 tenge ($0.11-0.17) per liter upon the President’s instructions. They will re-conclude the price reduction agreements to reimburse the costs of small and medium-sized businesses.”

Kazakhstan’s government announced late Jan. 4 that it was restoring some price caps on liquefied petroleum gas, after the rare protests reached Almaty following a sharp rise in the price of the fuel at the start of the year.

Many Kazakhs have converted their cars to run on LPG, which is far cheaper than gasoline as a vehicle fuel in Kazakhstan because of price caps. But the government argued that the low price was unsustainable and lifted the caps on Jan. 1.

After the price of the fuel spiked, big demonstrations erupted on Jan. 2 in certain parts of the country. Public protests are illegal in the country unless their organizers file a notice in advance.

Following the development of the situation, the government declared a state of emergency all over the country. Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said the government initiated anti-terrorist operations to deal with the ongoing riots.

Also, the divisions of the united peacekeeping contingent of CSTO (Collective Security Treaty Organization) arrived in Kazakhstan to assist in restoring order and help protect strategic objects of the country.

Source: Trend News Agency