Kazakhstan expresses readiness to extend contracts terms of large deposits
By Aynur Jafarova
Kazakhstan prime minister says his country is ready to extend the terms of contracts for the large deposits.
Speaking at the board meeting of the Oil and Gas Ministry, Serik Akhmetov said Kazakhstan can and is ready to consider the possibility of extending the terms of usage of large deposits and terms of contracts concluded with regard to them for the production of oil in large projects.
He went on adding that the extension would be made given to a number of key points, one of which is increasing the proportion of Kazakh content.
For his part, Oil and Gas Minister Uzakbai Karabalin said Kazakhstan increased its oil and gas condensate production in 2013 to 81.8 million tons.
He noted about 14.3 million tons of oil was processed at three oil refineries of the country in 2013 while the exports of crude oil and gas condensate in Kazakhstan amounted to over 72 million tons.
Karabalin added that Kazakhstan processed 22.6 billion cubic meters of marketable gas, half of which was used for domestic consumption.
In 2013 Kazakhstan produced 42.3 billion cubic meters of gas, 8.6 billion cubic meters of which was exported.
Karabalin also noted Tengizchevroil LLP (TCO) produced 27 million tons of oil in Kazakhstan in 2013.
"This is a record production level in the whole existence
history of the company," he said.
The minister noted some 10.5 million tons of liquefied hydrocarbons
of stable equivalent and over 17 billion cubic meters of gas was
produced at the Karachaganak field.
Karachaganak is one of the world's largest oil fields. Its oil reserves amount to 1.2 billion tons, while those of natural gas are 1.35 trillion cubic meters.
Currently work on determining the variants for implementation of the project on future expansion of the Tengiz field, as well as organizing the projection is underway, Karabalin said.
The Tengiz oil field was discovered in 1979 and is one of the deepest and largest oil fields in the world. The reserves of the Tengiz field are estimated to contain 750 million to 1.1 billion tons (6-9 billion barrels) of recoverable oil.
Karabalin also said the construction time, capacity, investment volume, location and resource base of the fourth Kazakh refinery will be known in the first quarter of 2014.
Kazakhstan operates oil refineries, which are located in Shymkent (country's southern part), Atyrau (western part) and Pavlodar (northern part).
Speaking at the meeting Deputy Managing Director of the North Caspian Operating Company (NCOC) Zhakyp Marabayev said the causes behind the gas leak at the giant Kashagan field in the Kazakh sector of the Caspian Sea will be published in February, 2014.
"The analysis of reasons behind the gas leak of the pipeline will be ready in February this year. The plan for resumption of oil production at the Kashagan field will be ready in March this year," he said.
The Kashagan field with recoverable oil reserves - estimated at 11 billion barrels - is believed to be the largest oil field in the world after Prudo Bay in Alaska. Besides, natural gas reserves are estimated at over 1 trillion cubic meters.
The oil production in the field started on September 11, 2013. However the operations had to be stopped on September 24, due to a gas leak in the onshore section of the gas pipeline running from Island D to the Bolashak onshore processing facility. The Department of Emergency Situations was immediately briefed on the regulations. Production was resumed, but stopped again on October 9 after a detection of a gas leak.