Central Asia on the move

States are looking for energy output, Central European ones for diversification and integration

Kazakhstan's oil production in 2018 promises finally to get the boost that the government has been banking on since the Kashagan project was first meant to come on line in 2005. Assuming no repetition of problems that have delayed this Caspian Sea project by 12 years, Kashagan should see output rise to around 370,000 barrels a day in 2018, up from 270,000 b/d in the last quarter of 2017, and to 450,000 b/d within two years—the Phase 1 design capacity first envisaged by the consortium's partners (see map). This Kashagan production will help reverse the decline in Kazakhstan's crude output, which the energy ministry says will end 2017 at around 1.7m b/d. That's in line with the quota it agreed