Kazakhstan Defense Ministry to clear Caspian seabed for Kalamkas-Khazar pipelines

September 15, 2026 at 04:13 PM2 min

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Kazakhstan's Defense Ministry plans underwater survey and explosive ordnance clearance in the Kazakh sector of the Caspian Sea to prepare pipeline routes for the Kalamkas-more – Khazar project. The work is stipulated by a cooperation memorandum signed May 30, 2025, and a June 9, 2025 investment council protocol. The project itself was suspended in March 2026 due to sanctions against Lukoil.

Key Facts

The Defense Ministry will conduct underwater survey and explosive ordnance clearance in area No. 200 of Kazakhstan's Caspian sector.
Kalamkas-Khazar Operating must purchase specialized equipment and transfer it to the Defense Ministry for the demining work.
The work is stipulated by a cooperation memorandum signed May 30, 2025, between the Defense Ministry, Energy Ministry, and Kalamkas-Khazar Operating.
The Kalamkas-more and Khazar fields hold estimated reserves of 8.5 million tonnes of oil and 19 billion cubic meters of gas.
KazMunayGas CEO Askhat Khassenov said in March 2026 that the project was suspended due to sanctions against Lukoil.

Demining Scope

The Defense Ministry plans underwater survey and explosive ordnance clearance in area No. 200 of Kazakhstan's Caspian sector. The routes of the planned subsea oil pipelines for the Kalamkas-more – Khazar project will pass through this area. Kalamkas-Khazar Operating must purchase the necessary specialized equipment and transfer it to the Defense Ministry. The work is stipulated by a cooperation memorandum signed May 30, 2025, between the Defense Ministry, Energy Ministry, and Kalamkas-Khazar Operating.

Tax Code Amendment

The draft law proposes adding a new type of income to Article 238 of the Tax Code that would not be considered for corporate income tax. The excluded income is the value of work and services performed by the Defense Ministry in exchange for equipment transferred by the subsoil user to Kazakhstan. The June 9, 2025 investment council protocol states that the Defense Ministry's underwater work does not create income for Kalamkas-Khazar Operating for corporate income tax or alternative subsoil use tax purposes. The draft also amends Articles 258 and 259 of the Tax Code on deductions and VAT.

Project Suspension

KazMunayGas CEO Askhat Khassenov said in March 2026 that further implementation of the Kalamkas-more – Khazar joint project with Lukoil was stopped due to sanctions against the Russian company. The Kalamkas-more and Khazar fields hold estimated reserves of 8.5 million tonnes of oil and 19 billion cubic meters of gas. Expected production was about 4 million tonnes of oil per year, or 80,000 barrels per day, with first oil planned for late 2029.