On April 1-2, the eighth regional oil and gas technology conference, OILTECH Atyrau 2014, took place in Atyrau. Representatives from the Ministries of Oil and Gas, Environment and Water Resources and Industry and New Technologies participated in the event, in addition to representatives from the akimat (regional administration), oil production and service companies and oil refineries and petrochemical plants from Austria, Belarus, Germany, Kazakhstan, the Netherlands and Russia. OILTECH Atyrau is one of the main annual events in western Kazakhstan and brings together about 150 oil and gas specialists from different countries. The event focused on relevant issues and major trends in the development of the industry.
Kazatomprom allocated more than 30 billion tenge (US$164.8 million) for the implementation of projects in Kazakhstan’s regions, Managing Director for Public Relations of Kazatomprom Zharkynbek Ospanov said during an online briefing within the framework of Samruk-Kazyna and Bnews.kz’s portal project. “We concluded memorandums with the administrations of South Kazakhstan, Kyzylorda, Akmola, East Kazakhstan regions regarding social responsibility. They provide for construction or other types of projects,” he noted. “We completed projects totalling more than 30 billion tenge [US$164.8 million] over the past three years. Besides, we are actively involved in charity activities and sponsor support. We sponsor the bandy team of Kazakhstan that won the bronze medal at the European championships,” Ospanov said.
Issues of cooperation in the sphere of innovations and technologies and the prospects for establishing a Kazakh-Chinese centre of technological cooperation were discussed at a recent meeting of Deputy Chairman of the Board of the National Agency for Technological Development Zhumatai Salimov and Deputy Director General of the Torch High Technology Industry Development Centre of China Xiu Xiaoping, the agency’s press service reported. The parties also agreed to develop cooperation in the sphere of technology transfer and the development of innovation. The Torch High Technology Industry Development Centre primarily finances innovations and technology-based small and medium sized enterprises through the Innovation Fund, promotes technology transfer and creates conditions for the development of the technology industry. The fund cooperates with 20 countries.
Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Oil and Gas has announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding that will increase the participation of domestic companies in the huge Karachaganak oil and gas project, Trend.az reported on March 28. Kazakhstan’s Karachaganak Petroleum Operating B.V. (KPO) and Aksai Industrial Park have signed a memorandum of understanding and a road map for cooperation in the process. The agreements, the ministry said, will contribute to Kazakhstan’s development and industrial growth. The road map determines a number of joint initiatives designed to increase Kazakh participation in the overall project by transferring technologies and creating new jobs for local residents. “Our activity mainly focuses on increasing the local potential through sustainable development and transfer of best practices. We hope that as a result of our cooperation, Aksai Industrial Park will be able to offer competitive technological services and products necessary for KPO’s production activity,” Director General of KPO Damiano Ratti said. The initiative will facilitate the local production of more complex, high-tech products for Kazakhstan’s oil and gas industry, he said. More than 3,000 Kazakh enterprises are currently working on the operation of the Karachaganak project. The share of Kazakh content in KPO contracts’ products, work and services exceeded 50 percent in 2013, reaching $461.1 million.
