Library
An archive of the key court rulings in the Tristangate dispute.
The Dutch Supreme Court Refers Kashagan Field Asset Freeze to Lower Court for Re-Examination
The Supreme Court of the Netherlands sets aside the Amsterdam Court of Appeal’s decision on the attachment of Kazakhstan’s stake in the international consortium developing the Kashagan oil field, held via Kazakhstan’s sovereign wealth fund Samruk-Kazyna, and refers the case back to a lower court (the Hague Court of Appeal) for further consideration. Meanwhile, the Kashagan shares attachment, valued at $5.2 billion, remains fully in place.
Search Our Library
The Brussels Court of First Instance makes an attachment order as sought by Stati Parties. The said order was served on BNY Mellon as global custodian of Kazakhstan’s National Fund assets leading to BNY Mellon freezing US$ 22.6 billion in assets of the National Fund (comprising about 40% of the Fund’s entire portfolio).
This attachment is believed to be the largest in legal history.
The Amsterdam District Court grants a US$ 5.2 billion asset attachment of Kazakhstan’s stake in the Kashagan oil field, held via the sovereign wealth fund JSC Samruk-Kazyna’s (Samruk-Kazyna) 50% shareholding in the Dutch entity KMG Kashagan B.V., as an enforcement measure under the award.
The Kashagan oil field is one of the largest offshore oilfields in the Caspian Sea. The international consortium that has developed the field includes Eni, Royal Dutch Shell, Total, ExxonMobil, China National Petroleum Corporation, and Inpex.
The Stockholm District Court allows the Stati Parties to attach any Kazakh state assets on Swedish soil as an enforcement measure under the Award.
The bailiff in Luxemburg places a freeze on Kazakhstan’s 40% stake in Eurasian Resources Group, formerly publicly listed company ENRC, which was taken private in 2013 valued at £3.1 billion. In addition, dividends owed to Kazakhstan by ERG in the sum of US$ 48 million are frozen as a result of this attachment.
The Svea Court of Appeal in Sweden upholds the award in full by dismissing all of the challenges (including based on the fraud allegations) brought by Kazakhstan against the award and refuses the right to appeal its judgment to the Swedish Supreme Court.