LONDON: Oil production at Chevron's Tengizchevroil (TCO) venture in Kazakhstan has continued even as some contractors gathered outside the Tengiz field in support of protests taking place across the central Asian country, the company said on Thursday.

"TCO production operations continue," Chevron, the largest foreign oil producer in Kazakhstan with a 50% stake in the Tengizchevroil (TCO) joint venture, said in a statement.

"Tengizchevroil (TCO) can confirm that a number of contractor employees are gathered at the Tengiz field in support of protests," it added.

On Wednesday Chevron, which operates TCO, said output at the field was unaffected by the protests.

Kazakhstan is a major oil producer, with output of about 1.6 million barrels per day in recent months.

Last week protests against the rising price of liquefied petroleum gas, a fuel used by the poor to power their cars, quickly grew into broader anti-government riots.