Shell to Pause Kazakh Oil and Gas Investments Amid Disputes

Shell Plc will pause investment in Kazakhstan as it navigates legal claims from the OPEC+ nation against oil majors that could stretch into the billions of dollars, Chief Executive Officer Wael Sawan said.

Kazakhstan is pressing multiple western oil companies for compensation across a series of cases both in the Central Asian country’s courts and in international arbitration. This month, it emerged that Shell and partners lost a dispute that could see them pay as much as $4 billion. There is also ongoing litigation about sulfur breaches and project costs.