Kashagan field is the biggest hydrocarbon discovery since the late 1960s and the first large scale offshore petroleum development in Kazakhstan.

Kashagan extends over a surface of 75 X 45 kilometers, around the size of greater London (UK). The Kashagan field is located in the Caspian Sea offshore Kazakhstan, approximately 80 km from the town of Atyrau. Challenges are the high pressures up to 800 bar and high (up to 15%) H2S content. The water depth in the development area is less than 4 m and ice bound during the winter season. The Caspian Sea is subject to seasonal and annual water level changes, in addition to being an environmentally sensitive area.

The field life is approximately 40 years reaching a plateau of 1.5 million barrels of oil per day. Kashagan has approximately 35 billion barrels of oil in place and reserves of over 10 billion barrels.

The project involves a unique combination of technical complexity and environmental challenges and given the size and variety of operations this makes it currently one of the greatest challenges of the petroleum industry worldwide.