On November 28, 2014, 25 children of Berezovka village simultaneously felt ill during school hours. They reported dizziness and suffered convulsions and loss of consciousness. According to prosecutors of the Western Kazakhstan Region, gas emissions exceeding the maximum permissible concentration of toxic substances were registered from the Karachaganak Oil and Gas Condensate Field on November 17, 18, 25 and 27, 2014. In March 2018, two girls from the village were diagnosed with toxic encephalopathy, a brain disease caused by chemical poisoning. According to Crude Accountability, the doctors’ diagnosis provides documented evidence that the Berezovka children suffer from toxic poisoning likely caused by hydrocarbon emissions from the Karachaganak Oil and Gas Condensate Field. The Karachaganak field is operated by the Karachaganak Petroleum Operating BV (KPO) consortium, which includes Chevron, Shell, ENI, Lukoil, and KazMunaiGas.

Business & Human Rights Resource Centre invited these companies to respond. KPO, Eni, Shell and KazMunaiGas responded. Chevron and Lukoil did not respond. Crude Accountability later issued a rejoinder to responses by KPO, Eni, Shell and KazMunaiGas. Karachaganak Petroleum Operating BV (KPO) responded on behalf of the consortium.

Materials with full information and the rejoinder, responses & non-responses are below.