By the end of this year, Kazakhstan will transit at least 800 million cubic meters of gas from Russia to Uzbekistan, TASS reports with reference to the Minister of Energy of Kazakhstan Almasadam Satkaliyev.
“Now we will see how the regimes will go, but the order of at least 800 million cubic meters will be considered as a possible gas supply,” Satkaliyev said.
This is part of a larger agreement between Russia and Uzbekistan, which calls for the supply of 2.8 billion cubic meters of gas per year from Russia to Uzbekistan at the initial stage.
Transit deliveries began on 7 October via the Central Asia-Center main gas pipeline.
Russian gas may help cover the domestic deficit in Kazakhstan
Satkaliyev said that Kazakhstan has seen a steady increase in gas consumption within the country, associated with the development of industrial projects, as well as the construction of energy facilities.
At the same time, the main consumers of gas in Kazakhstan are enterprises of the electric power industry, industry, and a fairly large share of the utility sector.
According to the Minister, Kazakhstan’s gas transportation system has the technical capabilities to receive Russian gas through other gas pipeline lines, which will allow, if necessary, to cover the gas shortage at the expense of resources from the Russian Federation.
“In principle, the whole range of agreements includes, among other things, the possibility of gas supply to Kazakhstan, depending on our plans for gas consumption in the coming period. There is a technical possibility. Now, depending on the forecast balance, Kazakhstan will make a decision on the possibility of using the delivered volume of gas,” Satkaliyev said.
He said that three major projects are already being implemented in Kazakhstan to cover the domestic gas shortage, including at the Kashagan and Karachaganak fields, which are expected to be completed in 2028-2029.
“Until the commissioning of these capacities, we have the opportunity to accept an additional volume of gas from Russia, which will cover the needs of our economy,” the Minister of Energy of Kazakhstan explained. ///nCa, 12 October 2023
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