The National Company KazMunayGas JSC and China National Petroleum Corporation held bilateral negotiations in the furtherance of the agreement signed earlier by the heads of the two states, the press service of the national company reported.
During the meeting, the sides agreed on the future increase in the Kazakh gas exports to China, up to 10 billion cubic meters per annum. They underlined the need for further development of the gas pipeline infrastructure, as well as modernization and capacity expansion of the existing gas pipelines. The Chinese corporation put a high value on implementing the previously adopted agreement regarding Kazakh gas supplies. It was also decided to gradually increase the capacity of two “A” and “B” legs of Kazakhstan-China Pipeline by the end of 2019.
It is planned to increase the capacity of the Beineu-Bozoy-Shymkent pipeline by building new compressor stations and upgrading the existing ones so that to expand transportation through Kazakhstan. Vice President of KazMunayGas National Company Kairat Sharipbayev highlighted the strategic significance of supplying the Kazakh gas to the People’s Republic of China and assured of the readiness of Kazakhstan’s gas pipeline system to expand transportation and exports.
“Kazakh gas exports to China are possible owing to the agreements reached by the heads of our states and two similar government programs of Kazakhstan and China “Nurly Zhol” and “One Belt, One Road”, which contribute to the development and implementation of joint projects”, he said.
The Chinese side praised the arrangement of Kazakh gas supplies to China and the level of partnership since the start of Kazakhstan’s domestic gas exports to the country. This long-awaited event took place on October 15, 2017. As of the end of 2017, the volume of natural gas supplied from Central Asian countries to China via the Central Asia-China gas pipeline increased by 13.4%, to 38.7 billion cubic meters. Since the launch of the transnational gas pipeline in late 2009, a total of 203.2 billion cubic meters of gas have been transported to China. (Kazinform/Business World Magazine)