Law No. 291-IV “On subsoil and subsoil management”.

This Law regulates social relations in the sphere of subsoil management and has as its purpose protection of the national interests, rational and complex exploration and management of subsoil. Subsoil and mineral shall be public property. Foreign natural and legal persons, and also stateless persons shall be granted rights and duties equal to those of the nationals of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Legal regulation of subsoil management shall be based on the following principles: (a) rational, complex and safe subsoil management; (b) subsoil and environmental protection; (c) transparency of subsoil management operations; and (d) payment for subsoil management. This Law consists of 15 Chapters divided into 130 articles: (1) general provisions; (2) state regulation in the sphere of subsoil management; (3) right of nature management; (4) granting of subsoil management right through tenders; (5) granting of subsoil management rights through direct negotiation; (6) subsoil management contract; (7) rights and duties of subsoil managers; (8) petroleum operations; (9) oil operations at sea and in waterbodies; (10) main pipelines; (11) subsoil protection, rational and complex subsoil management, safety of population and staff; (12) state control in the sphere of protection, exploration and management of subsoil; (13) state subsoil fund; (14) liability; and (15) conclusive and transitional provisions.