According to Zhitong Finance APP, Kazakhstan insists on increasing oil production next year, which may further exacerbate tensions with its OPEC+ partners. Kazakhstan's Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov stated at a government meeting on Tuesday: "I instruct the Energy Ministry to strengthen efforts to increase Henry Hub Natural Gas and oil production." He emphasized that the Energy Ministry must ensure that oil production reaches planned levels by 2025.

The largest oil producer in Central Asia stated in August that its goal is to produce 97.2 million tons of oil by 2025. However, since then, there has been a significant shift in OPEC+ production policy, with member countries reducing production for much longer than expected. To boost Global oil prices, OPEC+ postponed its production increase plan for the third time earlier this month, further delaying it from January next year to April next year.

Kazakhstan has been pressured by OPEC+, Russia, and Saudi leaders due to its significant failure to fulfill the promised reduction share made at the beginning of 2024, and the country has also not honored its commitment to take additional restrictive measures to compensate for the initial production surplus.

Kazakhstan's oil production plan shows that next year's oil production will increase by 9.4 million tons, equivalent to an increase of approximately 0.19 million barrels/day. However, according to OPEC+'s latest agreement, Kazakhstan's oil production increase by 2025 should not exceed 0.041 million barrels/day—considering compensatory cuts, the increase may be even lower.

However, Kazakhstan's oil production plans are not always realized. Kazakhstan's Energy Minister Almassadam Satkaliyev stated at Tuesday's meeting that the projected oil production for this year is expected to reach 87.8 million tons, lower than the previous plan of 90.3 million tons. Last year, Kazakhstan's Ministry of Economy had predicted that oil production would reach 95.4 million tons in 2024.

The gap in oil production and the decline in oil prices have put pressure on Kazakhstan's economy. Kazakhstan's Deputy Prime Minister Nurlan Baibazarov stated last month that national budget revenue is expected to decrease by 2 trillion tenge (approximately 3.8 billion USD). The country has had to use its national oil fund to fill the budget gap, which has increased inflationary pressure.