В Атырау
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The year 2025 has been declared the year of geological exploration and capital construction in the national company. Uninterrupted gas supply to the residents of Kazakhstan always remains a priority for us. During peak demand periods - for example, during severe frosts - stable gas supply is ensured from the Company's own gas resources. If necessary, capacities are also connected using reserve gas volumes from the existing UGS (underground gas storage facilities), the total volume of which is about 4 billion m3 of gas.
The year 2025 has been declared the year of geological exploration and capital construction in the national company. Uninterrupted gas supply to the residents of Kazakhstan always remains a priority for us.
During peak demand periods - for example, during severe frosts - stable gas supply is ensured from the Company's own gas resources. If necessary, capacities are also connected using reserve gas volumes from the existing UGS (underground gas storage facilities), the total volume of which is about 4 billion m3 of gas.
New technological solutions and ambitious plans
Sanzhar Zharkeshov, Chairman of the Board of QazaqGaz National Company:
The year 2025 has been declared the year of geological exploration and capital construction in the national company.
Uninterrupted gas supply to the residents of Kazakhstan always remains a priority for us. During peak loads - for example, during severe frosts - we ensure stable gas supply from our own gas resources. If necessary, we also connect capacity through reserve gas volumes from the existing UGS (underground gas storage facilities), the total volume of which is about 4 billion m3 of gas.
To ensure stable passage of the fall-winter period, QazaqGaz annually prepares for the heating season starting from March. Among the preparations for winter cold weather, we also signed a spot contract with Gazprom for additional gas volumes in case of unscheduled repairs by major suppliers at fields and GPPs. In addition, alternative gas transit routes to the southern regions of the country - via Uzbekistan - have been considered.
Therefore, the national company QazaqGaz is fully prepared to pass peak periods during the heating period. Behind this, I would like to note, there is a huge labor of the production personnel.
Gasification
I would like to note that within the framework of realization of the order of the Head of State for 2024 in 9 regions of Kazakhstan 107 settlements were connected to the gas supply system, where about 300 thousand Kazakhstani people got access to gas.
According to the order of the President, gasification of Astana city, the capital agglomeration, as well as settlements of Akmola region continues at an increased pace. Today about 70 thousand people use blue fuel in the capital. In 2024 Zhibek Zholy village became the 16th gasified settlement of the region.
In addition, the construction of the main gas pipeline “Taldykorgan-Usharal” is underway. This means that additionally 66 settlements of Zhetysu region will be provided with gas, reliability of gas supply to the population and industrial enterprises will increase.
In addition, we are actively promoting the principles of lean consumption. Legislative work is underway - amendments have been made to the consumption standards. On October 8, the bill was presented in the Majilis of the Parliament of Kazakhstan. Final approval is expected by the end of the first quarter of 2025.
Geological exploration
Given the fact that gas consumption in the domestic market is growing at a serious pace, we, as a national company, place a serious emphasis on geological exploration. Over the last two years, 23 potentially promising gas-bearing areas have been considered, of which 15 areas have been assigned to the national gas company and require geological exploration with the involvement of investors.
In addition, the contours of Anabai field in Zhambyl region have been expanded, where the work on drilling of well No. 17 (3690 meters) was carried out within a short period of time, a large inflow of gas was received, which confirms the high productivity of the well - we receive 120 thousand m3 of gas per day, which is twice higher than the projected figure.
Drilling of well No. 18 has also begun, which will subsequently increase production at the field.
In addition, an agreement was reached with Chevron on geological exploration in the KT-III (Zhalibek) area in Aktobe region on the terms of 100% carry-financing. That is, the investor assumes all costs and risks at the stage of geological exploration, which is very favorable for the republic. Chevron is currently carrying out a large-scale reprocessing of existing seismic data and developing technical interpretations. These works will continue in 2025.
QazaqGaz concluded an agreement with NC KOR on joint geological exploration at the Akkuduk site in Mangistau region and signed the first ever contract for subsoil use of hydrocarbons at the Shalkar site in Aktobe region.
Thanks to geological exploration works, new gas deposits were discovered at the Maldybay block in Zhambyl region.
An agreement was also signed with KazAzot JSC on joint exploration work at the promising Severny-2 prospect in the Aktobe region.
In addition, QazaqGaz will participate in the development of gas fields in Turkmenistan, including the super-giant Galkynysh gas and oil field. We and State Concern Turkmengaz signed a strategic agreement in the field of geological exploration during the visit of the Head of State to Turkmenistan.
We have also developed a digital platform QGGeoDigital to ensure more accurate and prompt implementation of projects on additional exploration and field development. In the future, it is planned to use the platform as a basis for artificial intelligence (AI), as well as for determining well drilling locations.
During the visit of the Head of State to Qatar in February 2024, QazaqGaz signed four investment agreements worth more than $11 billion. The cooperation is with Qatar-based Power International Holding, a subsidiary of UCC Holding.
For the first time in Kazakhstan's history, $11 billion of investment will be invested in the gas industry. Qatari projects will be an important factor in the economic growth of Kazakhstan, as they directly contribute to the expansion of the gas resource base and improvement of transportation capacity. This will provide our country with additional volumes of gas, which in turn will have a positive impact on the development of the economy.
One of the agreements provides for attracting investments for the construction of a new main gas pipeline “Aktobe - Kostanai”. In addition, we are implementing a joint project to build the second string of the Beineu-Bozoi-Shymkent gas trunkline, an important gas artery providing gas to the southern and central regions of Kazakhstan.
In addition, we signed two agreements on the construction of a new gas processing plant (GPP) at Kashagan, with a capacity of 2.5 billion m3, as well as on the sale of a 1 billion m3 GPP under construction. At the same time, the construction of the 1 bcm GTF continues according to the approved schedules.
Large-scale projects
In 2024, QazaqGaz completed an important project - construction of external gas infrastructure for CHPP-2 and CHPP-3 in Almaty.
Preparation of external gas infrastructure included the construction of four facilities: two automatic gas distribution stations at CHPP-2 and CHPP-3, gas pipeline jumper TIP-04 and the second string of the main gas pipeline “Almaty - Bayserke - Talgar”, which will have a multiplicative effect on business development and creation of new jobs in the region. Conversion of Almaty CHPPs from coal to gas has a direct impact on improving the environmental situation in the region.
For the first time in the history of Kazakhstan, we will gasify Qarmet, the largest metallurgical plant in Eurasia, which still uses coal. This project is our contribution to improving the ecology of Temirtau. Many generations of metallurgists have dreamed of switching from coal to gas, and we are honored to realize this dream.
Social project
In December 2024, QazaqGaz together with the Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Kazakhstan launched a pilot service “Social Wallet”. The project is aimed at supporting citizens receiving targeted social assistance (TSA) and housing assistance (HA) in Shymkent city and West Kazakhstan region. Residents of these regions who receive TSA and housing assistance can benefit from a discount of up to 24% on natural gas through the eGov Mobile application. After the test period, the project will be scaled up to the whole country.
QazaqGaz introduces quite a lot of modern technological solutions into the gas supply system for subscribers
QazaqGaz puts a serious emphasis on digitalization of the industry. Digitization of distribution networks and subscribers with installation of “smart” meters is actively carried out. Digitized subscribers are displayed on an interactive map, with the help of which it is possible to determine the location of a subscriber with abnormal gas consumption, control the collection of meter readings and increase the transparency of gas accounting.
A pilot project of digital gas metering was completed in Shymkent, and similar works were carried out in Astana and Karaganda. The project showed high efficiency in reducing gas losses and improving payment discipline. In the future, we will introduce this system throughout the country using AI.
In 2023, the company introduced a system of online applications for gas connection via eGov.kz, which improved citizens' access to services. Now we receive 46% of the total number of applications for issuance of technical conditions through online platforms, which significantly simplifies the connection process for our subscribers.
One of the biggest achievements this year is the decision of the Energy Council of Kazakhstan to form a pricing reform to achieve a break-even domestic market. This is an important milestone in Kazakhstan's gas industry, which, one could say, predetermined its successful future. Potential investors will now be motivated to invest in the country's gas projects - these are investments in geological exploration and construction of gas transportation infrastructure.
This decision will allow us to gradually bring gas sales in the domestic market to the break-even level in the next three to four years, but we will not allow a sharp jump in prices.
Our specialists
People are the main value of our company. Our colleagues regularly undergo training and internships, adopting the world's leading experience from our partners. For example, this year we actively cooperated with Eni and held a series of courses for our employees. We intend to continue this work in 2025.
In addition, QazaqGaz has a training center - a single corporate center for professional development of gas industry specialists, as well as professional retraining and confirmation of qualification of specialized specialists. The center plans to cooperate with foreign companies, including Solar Turbines, Baker Hughes and others.
Our task is to integrate science, innovation and production, as well as to develop commercialization of Kazakhstani science in the gas sector. For this purpose, we have opened a specialized QazaqGaz auditorium at Satbayev University. The latest technological developments of QazaqGaz professors, teachers and specialists will be applied in our work.
Plans of QazaqGaz
The year 2025 has been declared the year of exploration and capital construction in the national company. We have already developed ambitious plans that include clear goals and vision to implement projects, including gas exploration, in the shortest possible time. Despite the existing challenges in the industry, we are gradually overcoming all obstacles.
I would like to emphasize that the September message of the President emphasized the development of the gas industry and instructed to develop a new comprehensive development plan. I would like to note that the previous plan has already been implemented ahead of schedule, and part of the QazaqGaz development strategy has also been implemented. We have already started the development of the new document, upon completion it will be approved by the Government.
It is also worth noting the constant control of the Head of State over the development of the gas industry. Thanks to the well-coordinated work of the QazaqGaz team, support of Samruk-Kazyna, the Ministry of Energy, the Government and our partners, we are confidently moving forward, taking important steps to realize the key tasks facing us.
And there is massive work ahead, and we are ready not only to cope with the challenges that arise, but also to confidently achieve concrete results.
Thanks to the results of 2024, we are moving into a new era of gas industry development and 2025 will be a very intensive and fruitful year for us.