Kazakh court rejects Kashagan oil operator's bid to block enforcement of $5 bln fine

TotalEnergies SE

28/09/2026 08:24

MOSCOW, Sept 28 (Reuters) - A Kazakh court has dismissed a lawsuit by the operator of Kazakhstan's offshore Kashagan oilfield that sought to overturn a decision to begin enforcement actions to collect an environmental fine of around $5 billion, Russia's Interfax news agency reported on Monday. 
The North Caspian Operating Company (NCOC) has been mired in a lengthy legal standoff with the Kazakh government, which accuses it of environmental violations related to sulphur storage and imposed the large fine. 
NCOC, which includes Shell SHEL.L, Eni ENI.MI, TotalEnergies TTEF.PA and Exxon Mobil XOM.N, and its contractors reject the fine and the allegations behind it, and the case is currently being heard in international arbitration.
In early September, Kazakhstan's Justice Ministry said enforcement proceedings had been temporarily suspended, but that it still intended to collect the fine.
Kashagan is one of Kazakhstan's largest oilfields.

(Reporting by Reuters, Writing by Alessandra Prentice; Editing by Gleb Bryanski)
((alessandra.prentice@thomsonreuters.com))