Minister of Environmental Protection Nurlan Iskakov of Kazakhstan

ASTANA Kazakh Ecology Minister Nurlan Iskakov said on Wednesday the government had imposed a $609 million fine on the Chevron-led Tengizchevroil (TCO) oil venture over ecological and other violations.

Iskakov said the fine was imposed due to various violations including what the government saw as the company's slow progress in dealing with vast sulphur stocks at the Tengiz onshore oilfield in western Kazakhstan.

var RTR_ArticleBlurb = " (Adds details) ASTANA, Oct 3 (Reuters) - Kazakh Ecology Minister Nurlan Iskakov said on Wednesday the government had imposed a $609 million fine on the Chevron-led (CVX.

million fine on the Chevron-led (CVX.

var RTR_ArticleBlurb = " (Adds details, quotes) By Raushan Nurshayeva ASTANA, Sept 2 (Reuters) - Kazakh Ecology Minister Nurlan Iskakov said on Sunday the government may prolong its suspension on operations at the Kashagan oilfield if a consortium of Western oil majors.

Western oil majors developing it did not "improve its record.

way between his ministry and consortium officials.

ALMATY, Kazakhstan Aug 21, 2007 (Dow Jones)Kazakhstan's Environment Minister Nurlan Iskakov said Tuesday that Eni SpA-led (E) Agip KCO development of the giant offshore oil field Kashagan might be suspended because of environment violations, Interfax news agency reported.

Iskakov said the Energy Ministry is the government agency authorized to make a final decision.

ASTANA - Kazakh Ecology Minister Nurlan Iskakov said on Sunday the government may prolong its suspension on operations at the Kashagan oilfield if a consortium of Western oil majors developing it did not ‘improve its record.

Iskakov said talks on the ecology issue were already under way between his ministry and consortium officials.

deposits in order to prevent irreparable damage to the environment.

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.

On August 21, Kazak environmental protection minister Nurlan Iskakov said that the Agip KCO consortium, which is developing the major Kashagan oil field, had broken environment laws.

Agip KCO development of the giant offshore oil field Kashagan might be suspended because of environment violations, Interfax news agency reported.

Kazakh Environmental Protection Minister Nurlan Iskakov said if oil companies were found guilty, they would be brought to justice.

Iskakov said he had already issued instructions to "prohibit the disposal of waste from drilling on Caspian offshore areas.

Kazakhstan closed the country's oil fields to production by the Italian energy firm Eni due to a breach of environmental obligations, Environment Minister Nurlan Iskakov said in the capital Astana on Monday.

Iskakov said the Central Asian country's prime minister, Karim Masimov, had directed the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources to look into the matter.

Kazakh Environment Minister Nurlan Iskakov said that TCO had accrued some 1.

Taking into account the failure to meet the previous obligation by the company, we must withdraw the permit as the companys work brings irreparable ecological damage, Environment Minister Nurlan Iskakov said today at a government meeting in Astana.

ASTANA, Kazakhstan - Kazakhstan closed the country’s oil fields to production by the Italian energy firm Eni due to a breach of environmental obligations, Environment Minister Nurlan Iskakov said in the capital Astana on Monday.

Iskakov had previously warned that the country was legally obliged to withdraw the company’s development licence to the Kashagan deposits in order to prevent irreparable damage to the environment.

We are obliged by law to remove authorisation (for the project) given that future operations would do unjustifiable damage to the environment," Iskakov said at a meeting of government ministers.

Environmental Protection Minister Nurlan Iskakov said the government has shut down work at Kashagan for three months because questions about "environmental protection are not being answered.

Kazakh Environmental Protection Minister Nurlan Iskakov said the company "is causing colossal damage to the environment and all people in Kazakhstan's western region by its actions.

Kazakh Environment Minister Nurlan Iskakov today warned he may initiate legal procedures against the TengizChevrOil joint venture unless the firm complies with environmental legislation.

Speaking in Astana, Iskakov said authorities have a legal arsenal to force the company to abide -- including possible revocation of the firm's license to operate the giant Tengiz oil field in the western region of Atyrau.

Iskakov said steps taken by TengizChevrOil to reprocess the sulfur extracted from Tengiz were insufficient and that the company contaminates the Caspian Sea environment.

yahooBuzzArticleSummary = "Iskakov said steps taken by TengizChevrOil to reprocess the sulfur extracted from Tengiz were insufficient and that the company contaminates the Caspian Sea environment";yahooBuzzArticleCategory = "Global";yahooBuzzArticleType = "text";yahooBuzzArticleId = window.

Ecology Minister Nurlan Iskakov said the government imposed the fine on the Chevron-led oil venture developing the Tengiz oilfield for various violations, including what the government saw as Chevrons slow progress in dealing with vast sulfur stocks.

Iskakov said that the matter was being handled by a Kazakh court.

Netherlands Jacqueline Cramer at the conference.

The Eni-led Kashagan development was suspended for at least three months because of "environmental violations", Environment Minister Nurlan Iskakov said on state television yesterday.

But Ecology Minister Nurlan Iskakov says it has unresolved environmental problems.