Kazakhstan increases gas output, decreases oil production
By Fatma Babayeva
Gas production of energy-rich Kazakhstan experienced a slight increase while its oil output went down in value during April-January 2016, the statistical agencies of the country reports.
Kazakhstan increased gas production by 0.7 percent up to almost 15.58 billion cubic meters in January to April 2016 as compared to the same period of the previous year, according to the Kazakh Statistics Committee.
In 2015, production of natural gas in gaseous form amounted to 7.07 billion cubic meters, while the associated gas output stood at 9.51 billion cubic meters, according to the statement.
Kazakhstan produced 45.713 billion cubic meters of gas in 2015, which is 5.2 percent more than in 2014.
On the contrary, the production of coal including coal concentrate fell by 9.7 percent to 31.33 million tons in Kazakhstan in January to April 2016.
Total production of coal, including coal concentrate stood at 107.189 million tons in 2015, which is by 6.4 percent less than in 2014.
In the meantime, output of lignite (brown coal) decreased by 3.5 percent to 1.21 million tons during the same period.
Furthermore, Kazakhstan saw a 2.2 percent decline in oil production in real terms for the year, Energyprom.kz analytical service reported.
Oil production in Kazakhstan in terms of value fell by 45.1 percent in January to April 2015, compared to the same period in 2014. In general, for the entire 2015, volumes of oil production in terms of value decreased by 37.7 percent.
Kazakhstan produces oil and gas mainly from its two largest
fields – Karachaganak and Tengiz.
The Karachaganak field's gas reserves are estimated at 1.35
trillion cubic meters while oil and liquid condensates around 1.2
billion tons.
About 49 percent of Kazakhstan's gas production and 18 percent of its produced oil are extracted from this field.
Another large oil and gas field – Kashagan – is located in the north of the Caspian Sea. Oil production at Kashagan started in September 2013, but its operation was suspended when a gas leak appeared along its pipeline.
Khvalynskoye is another conventional gas condensate field of Kazakhstan with 322 billion cubic meters of natural gas and 17 million tons of gas condensate.
Kazakhstan holds 0.8 percent of the world’s natural gas proven reserves, and produces 0.6 percent of the world’s total gas output, according to the BP’s statistics 2015.
The country exports its gas to Russian Federation, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.
In the meantime, Kazakhstan holds 3.8 percent of the world’s total proven coal reserves, and produces 1.4 percent of the total world coal output.
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Fatma Babayeva is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Fatma_Babayeva
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