UPDATE 1-Kashagan oil output seen back to normal from mid-April after maintenance work

MOSCOW, April 4 (Reuters) - Oil production at the giantKashagan oilfield in Kazakhstan fell to 210,000-211,000 barrelsper day (bpd) in late March-early April, the Kazakh energyministry said on Wednesday.

Output fell from normal levels of 310,000 bpd but theministry told Reuters that production would return to thoselevels from April 17.

It said the drop was due to repair and maintenance works andthe suspension of gas injection, a process which helps boostpressure and hence output from the offshore field in theCaspian.

Kashagan is operated by Eni, Total, Shell, ExxonMobil, Kazakh state firm KazMunayGaz, China's CNPC and Japan's Inpex.

One of the biggest oil discoveries in recent history, itsdevelopment has been plagued by technical issues, delays andcost overruns. The field finally began stable commercialproduction in late 2016, 11 years behind the original schedule.(Reporting by Alla AfanasyevaWriting by Katya Golubkova and Olzhas AuyezovEditing by Louise Heavens and Susan Fenton)