The third Kazakh-British Oil and Gas Supply Chain Engagement Forum has started in Atyrau

The Participants of the 3d Kazakh-British Supply Chain Engagement Forum in Atyrau. Credit: Forum Press SerivceThe third Kazakh-British Oil and Gas Supply Chain Engagement Forum has started in Atyrau on October 30-31, the Forum press service reported. 

Forum’s main objective is to provide assistance in establishing long-term business relations between Kazakh and British companies in the oil and gas sector in order to increase local content and create new opportunities for cooperation in this field.

The forum has been organized by the British Department of Trade and Investment (UKTI), "Shell Kazakhstan", "BG Kazakhstan", National Agency for Development of Local Content (NADLoC) supported by the Kazakh Ministry of Industry and New Technologies, as well as the Akimat of Atyrau Oblast.

On the first day of the Forum the topical issues under discussion were local content development in oil and gas sphere, joint oil and gas projects’ implementation and the opportunities for further bilateral cooperation with participation of Kazakh producers.  

Among the important guests and participants of the Forum were D. Moran, Her Majesty's Ambassador to Kazakhstan, N. Sauranbaev, the Vice-Minister of Industry and New Technologies of the Republic of Kazakhstan, K. Keldjanov, Shell First Deputy Country Chair,   G. Duisenbaev, the First Deputy Akim of Atyrau Oblast, K. Bekturgenev, NADLoC Chairman of the Board and others.  

Over 20 British companies and 94 Kazakh companies participated at the Forum“The representatives of over 20 major British service companies operating in the oil and gas sphere arrived to Atyrau and they are planning to establish long-term business partnerships with Kazakh companies. The Atyrau event gathered more than 146 delegates from 94 Kazakhstan companies, as well as the representatives of the Kazakh Ministry of Industry and New Technologies, KazMunayGas, Samruk-Kazyna Welfare Fund, national development institutes and industry associations participating in the Forum,” press service reported.

"We hope that today’s event will lead to new partnerships between the UK and Kazakhstan companies. Important that tomorrow the UK companies will have the opportunity visit local companies that will improve their awareness and understanding of future oil & gas sector opportunities within the Republic of Kazakhstan,"-said K. Keldjanov, Shell First Deputy Country Chair. "We are keen to see the success of this program continue as a part of what we believe is a long term and highly productive industry cooperation that we are proud to support,"- Keljanov continued.  

Symbolically the first forum in 2011 took place in Aberdeen. The city that grew from a small fishing town to a major logistics and support hub for the European offshore oil and gas developments in the North Sea.

The two previous forums organized jointly with UKTI helped to introduce 118 Kazakhstan companies to 129 UK companies.

In Atyrau Oblast there operate over 81 companies with a share of the British capital. Most of them are operating in the oil and gas sector and export-import of goods.

by Zinaida Urynbassarova