Kazakhstan’s giant Kashagan oilfield has doubled its crude production over the past few days after cutting output sharply in August due to a gas release, the Central Asian nation’s Energy Ministry said on Monday.

Kazakhstan’s total daily output has risen to 197,800 tonnes-199,400 tonnes since Sept.30, from about 185,000 tonnes posted in the prior week, according to ministry data. A ministry official said the increase was because of higher Kashagan output.

Separately, a source familiar with the data said the field has roughly doubled daily production to about 25,000 tonnes from 12,000-13,000 tonnes. That level, however, is still only half of the field’s normal capacity.

Officials say they expect Kashagan, located off the coast of the Caspian Sea, to be back online later this month.

Kashagan is operated by the North Caspian Operating Company (NCOC), which includes TotalEnergies, Eni, Shell, Exxon Mobil, KazMunayGas, Inpex and China National Petroleum Corp.
Source: Reuters (Reporting by Olzhas Auyezov; Additional reporting by Alla Afanasyeva in Moscow; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips)