Western majors escape new Kazakh oil export duty

ALMATY, May 16 (Reuters) - The government of Kazakhstan unveiled on Friday a preliminary list of companies subject to a new oil export duty which, as expected, does not include any Western majors.

Kazakhstan will introduce the duty, set at $109.91 per tonne at the current global price level, from May 18. The government has said Western oil companies operating under production sharing agreements would be exempt from the new levy.

London-listed KazMunaiGas Exploration and Production (KMG E&P) (KMGq.L: Quote, Profile, Research) tops the list of 38 companies published on the Finance Ministry Web site www.minfin.kz.

The list also includes Kazakhturkmunai and Kazakhoil Aktobe, two companies in which KMG E&P was seeking to buy stakes, and London-listed Zhaikmunai (ZKMq.L: Quote, Profile, Research).

PetroKazakhstan, controlled by China's CNPC, is on the list as well, but with exemptions for two contracts. (Writing by Olzhas Auyezov)