Kazakhstan went over its OPEC+ quota again in April despite cutting back on production

According to an industry source confirmed by Reuters calculations, Kazakhstan's oil production decreased by 3% in April to 1.82 million barrels per day (bpd). Despite some cuts, the country still went above and beyond the OPEC+ quota of 1.473 million bpd.

Whether or not Kazakhstan is meeting its production limits is a prominent issue within OPEC+, with Saudi Arabia strongly supporting strict compliance with the accords. To address this, Kazakhstan has pledged to offset its excess production by 1.3 million barrels by April 2026. However, the country’s energy ministry says the nation still plans to adhere to the agreement and does not intend to reduce its current oil output. Officials regularly update their partners on this stance.

This year's production growth has largely been driven by a Chevron-led expansion at the Tengiz oil field, the largest in the country. In April, however, output from this field fell to 885,000 bpd, down from 950,000 bpd in March.