The consortium has announced in June it would inject waste from its drilling operations directly back into the Caspian seabed. This has raised the ire of local environmentalists who have longed raised the issue of the negative impact of oil E&P on the environment.

According to Mokhambet Khakimov, the head of Caspian Nature, “The high pressure at which the waste will be pumped into the seabed would risk contaminating the sea with poisonous hydrogen sulphide and mercaptan, a chemical that gives odourless natural gas a detectable smell.”

“It’s a new technology, but we weren’t provided examples of its successful application elsewhere,” added Caspian Nature deputy head Malik Isabekov.

“Kazakhstan’s environmental groups are planning to seek international support for our campaign to prevent the consortium from using the technique without first testing it in land and providing substantial information that proves its safety,” said Shinar Istleuova, the leader of Ecotan, another environmental group.

ENI did not comment on the allegations.