Culprit Named? Why Can't Authorities Find Common Ground With Zhanaozen Oil Workers? 

On June 2, Baurzhan Mambetsapayev, Deputy Director General for Public Relations and Contracting Organizations of OzenMunaiGas LLP, was detained. He is suspected of abuse of office.

According to the Department of Economic Investigations in the Mangystau region, Mambetsapayev, "using his official position, in violation of the current employment procedure in JSC OzenMunaiGas, illegally hired a number of people from among his acquaintances."

The personnel issue just so happened to cause the recent scandal surrounding the JSC.

In April, oil sector workers protested in Astana near the Ministry of Energy. 150 people came to the capital from the Mangystau region. The contractor company in which they worked, BerAli Mangistau Company, lost Ozenmunaigaz's tender and threatened to dismiss its employees. They came to Astana to demand the annulling of the results of the competition and employment in OzenMunaiGas.

The authorities and the management of KMG vowed to look into the competition and Ozenmunaigas, but hiring striking oil workers was not up for discussion, as the company is fully staffed.

The Astana police detained the oil workers, but the story ended on a calm note. The protesters received promises that the situation would be sorted out and set off for home by train.

Something’s Up

Inspections of Ozenmunaigaz revealed more than 160 different violations.

Among them:

• Seven facts were transferred to law enforcement agencies for taking response measures in accordance with the legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan;
• Official investigations are being conducted on 10 facts;
• On 101 facts, disciplinary measures will be taken against the responsible persons.

"The amount of damage on the facts of offenses will be determined based on the results of procedural and regulatory measures,"

the special group said in a statement.

KMG conducts inspections in cooperation with the law enforcement agencies of the region. The violations are immediately reported to the police and the prosecutor's office.

"They are taking investigative actions and measures, including yesterday's detention by the Department of Economic Investigations of the Deputy Director General of Ozenmunaigaz,"

said the head of the special working group, Deputy Chairman of the Board of KMG, Dauletzhan Khasanov.

Apparently, law enforcement officers have now found the "culprit" in exacerbating social tension in the region, i.e. Mambetsapayev.

"It has been established that B. Mambetsapayev knew for certain that the persons affiliated with him were not listed among the unemployed, did not belong to socially vulnerable segments of the population and did not even have a specialized education. <…> The criminal actions of B. Mambetsapayev caused damage to the state in the amount of 46 million tenge, as well as grossly violated the rights of residents of Zhanaozen to find employment at the enterprise,” -

The DEI reported. 

The press release does not specify how many acquaintances Mambetsapayev employed, but nine thousand residents of Zhanaozen are on a waiting list for employment in the company.

What Is Known About Mambetsapayev

In 2022, Mambetsapayev Mambetsapayev opened the public fund "Kumis Gasyr", he is also one of the six co-founders of the public fund "Munayshi Kamkory". The fund "Kumis Gasyr"  did not show any signs of life and did not pay taxes during its six months of existence. But "Munayshy Kamkory" has paid 2.6 million tenge in taxes in three years.

Baurzhan Mambetsapayev himself is still listed as Deputy General Director for Public Relations and Contracting organizations on the official website of OzenMunaiGas.

However, the arrest of Mambetsapayev did not sway the dissatisfied oil workers, they intended to hold a protest in the capital again. People did not like the working conditions offered to them by the local authorities and KazMunayGas. The Mangystau region’s akimat had mulled how to go about the situation.

Back to Astana?

On May 29, Zhanaozen hosted a meeting between the management of OzenMunayGas JSC and Muldir Munai Service LLP with former employees of BerAli Mangistau Company LLP.

They were offered employment at "Muldir Munai Service" LLP and with the same salary level. It was also announced to those present that a tender was being held for the purchase of the volume of industrial well repairs for a 3-year period.

However, on June 2, at a briefing in the CCS, the head of the region, Nurlan Nogaev, said that the oil workers rejected this offer.

"But they did not accept the offer to join the staff of the winning company because they loudly resigned from this company at the time. There is a job in "Muldir Munai Service" until the end of the year, people were offered to work there for the time being, and then, later a three-year contract would be concluded, and if the company wins, we will employ you there for three years plus another year. But they say that the material and technical base there is weak, does not comply with labor safety. But I believe that working conditions have been created for these citizens,"

Nogayev said in Astana.

On 7 June, the Mangystau akim, Nurlan Nogaev, met with the former BerAli employees once again.

He called on them to resolve emerging issues at the negotiating table, noting that local executive bodies and the KazMunayGas company are aiming for a constructive solution to the situation. Those gathered received same offer of employment in the "Moldir Munai Service" LLP for a long-term period (3 years) with the preservation of wages and working conditions. Employment would be carried out within the framework of KazMunayGas's rules. Employees of the losing company are employed in the winning company according to them.

As the KazMunayGas representatives noted, if they reject the offer, the winning company of the competitive procedures will have to hire people queuing for employment for the jobs offered to former BerAli employees so as to avoid disruption of OzenMunayGas's production plans.

"Taking into account your experience in the oil and gas industry, you are offered employment within the framework of the current rules of KazMunayGas JSC. However, it is impossible to satisfy the requirement for direct employment in JSC "OzenMunaiGas", it will be unfair to other residents of the city of Zhanaozen waiting for their turn for employment under the current algorithm. I suggest listening to the voice of reason and accepting a job offer. Local executive bodies will continue systematic work on a permanent basis to preserve existing and create new jobs, as well as their fair distribution among the population,"

Nurlan Nogayev said.

The special working Group of JSC NC KazMunayGas in Zhanaozen continues its inspection. To date, the analysis has covered 55 facilities of economic activity, including 17 production structural divisions of JSC OzenMunaiGas, 8 oilfield service organizations and 30 third-party contractors. Only one specific "culprit" has been found so far. This may not be the last arrest in Zhanaozen, however.

Original Author: Ilya Astakhov

DISCLAIMER: This is a translated piece. The text has been edited, the content is the same. Please refer to the original pieces in Russian for accuracy. This article has been updated with new information pertaining to the meeting with the Mangystau akim on June 7.