In the first half of 2026, Kazakhstan reduced oil production by 8.4% compared to the same period last year, to 45.6 million tons, and natural gas production by 4.4%, to 31.2 billion cubic meters, according to data from the Bureau of National Statistics, Kursiv.kz reports.
At the same time, the oil refining industry showed growth: gasoline production increased by 1.4% and reached 3 million tons, diesel fuel by 2.7% (3.15 million tons), and aviation kerosene production increased immediately by 13%, to 428 thousand tons.
The decline in production is associated with temporary interruptions at the Tengiz field and restrictions on the work of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC), which remains the main export route for Kazakh oil. Meanwhile, authorities continue to discuss the construction of a fourth oil refinery with a capacity of 10 million tons per year in the Mangistau region.
Analytical comment
The situation shows that the oil and gas sector of Kazakhstan is becoming increasingly sensitive not only to internal production factors, but also to the international situation. Incidents at the largest fields and disruptions in the export infrastructure immediately affect production volumes, since a significant part of Kazakhstan’s oil is targeted at foreign markets.
Additional risks are created by geopolitical tensions in the Black Sea region, sanctions policy and threats to the security of transport corridors through which raw materials are exported.
At the same time, the growth in the production of gasoline, diesel fuel and aviation kerosene indicates Kazakhstan’s desire to increase domestic processing and production of products with higher added value. This strategy reduces the economy's dependence on crude oil exports and increases the sustainability of the country's fuel market.
In a regional comparison, Kazakhstan remains the largest oil producer in Central Asia, significantly ahead of Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Kyrgyzstan in terms of production and refining volumes.
However, current dynamics confirm that the further development of the industry will depend not only on the development of new fields, but also on the diversification of export routes, the expansion of oil refining capacities and the ability to adapt to the changing international energy and geopolitical environment.
CentralAsianLIGHT.org
July 17, 2026