Magnitude 4.2 Earthquake Strikes Tengiz Oilfield Region

At 11:44 a.m. on May 11, a magnitude 4.2 earthquake struck the region near the Tengiz oilfield.

The epicenter was located approximately 29 kilometers southwest of the village of Karaton in the Atyrau Region. The quake originated at a depth of nearly ten kilometers, The Caspian Post reports citing The Astana Times.

According to eyewitnesses, the earthquake lasted up to five seconds and was felt throughout the field. Many of them noticed vibration and shaking of structures.

Tengizchevroil, the operator of the field, confirmed that the event did not affect personnel or disrupt production processes.

Located in the Zhylyoi district, the Tengiz field is one of Kazakhstan’s largest oil reserves. Exploration began in 1976, and by 1979, experts confirmed the field’s commercial viability, estimating daily production from the subsalt layer at 475 to 600 cubic meters. Notably, the reservoir was found to have a sulfur content of up to 25%.

Tengizchevroil has been managing the development of the field since its founding in 1993.