The Kazakh Ecology will demand a complete stop to work at the giant Kashagan oil field if operator Agip KCO doesn't fix environmental violations by Nov. 22, Kazakhstan Today news agency reported Ecology Minister Nurlan Iskakov as saying Tuesday.
"If by that date we don't find a consensus over our issues then in accordance with the Ecology Code, we retain the right to halt any emission of this enterprise through a court decision," Iskakov was quoted by Kazakhstan Today as saying.
"That means the company will be fully suspended," Iskakov said, adding that his ministry's order for the suspension of works at Kashagan will expire on Nov. 22 and that Italy's Eni SpA-led (E) Kashagan operator Agip KCO can continue working until the deadline by paying fines.
The Kashagan consortium is currently holding talks with the Kazakh government over the second delay to the start of production at Kashagan and rising costs that have angered Kazakhstan.
The talks are to last until Nov. 30. The governments has said it wants the talks to end by the end of this month.