Kashagan boy to meet president once again

By Laura Suleimenova

A young resident of Atyrau who took part in the festive events on the occasion of Kashagan field discovery in 2000, Berik Uap, has been invited to the startup ceremony of the Bolashak Plant in Karabatan that will be honored by the visit of Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev and British Prime Minister David Cameron late June 30. 

Now a student of Manchester University in the Great Britain, Berik was 7 years old then. 

He says for the solemn occasion thirteen years ago organizers sought a little Kazakh boy who could speak English. So he was selected. The ceremony was held on the Sunkar drilling rig in the Caspian Sea.

"I recall Nursultan aga approached me and symbolically rubbed my cheeks and forehead with the Kashagan oil from an exploratory well, then he did the same to himself. My participation in that ceremony fated my future. Now I am studying petroleum engineering on a consortium scholarship. Also, the consortium gives me opportunity to pass internship with companies involved in the North Caspian Project every summer," Berik says. 

As is known now, at the Bolashak opening ceremony today, 20.00 local time, the country president will see the Kashagan Boy once again after 13 years.