ASTANA – Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev held a teleconference Dec. 7 devoted to the beginning of commercial oil production at the Kashagan field. The meeting of the oil and gas companies’ leaders with the head of state was devoted to celebrating the 25th anniversary of Kazakhstan’s independence.
Energy Minister Kanat Bozumbayev reported on the development of the oil and gas industry and current state of the Kashagan field development. The field’s oil production and transportation facilities then connected to the call.
The pipeline has already transported more 500,000 tonnes of Kashagan oil, said Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) Regional Manager Sarsembai Murinov. He noted it is considered to be one of the best oil pipeline projects in the world.
“At this moment offshore in the Black Sea at the marine terminal of Caspian Pipeline Consortium, a tanker operated by Kazmortransflot with a deadweight of 115,000 tonnes is being loaded with Kazakhstan-origin oil,” said Murinov.
The CPC marine terminal was connected to the teleconference and its main control centre shown on monitors. All the participants were able to watch the loading process of the tanker which will transport Kazakh crude oil to the world market.
The pipeline system is one of the largest energy industry investment projects in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) completed with the participation of foreign capital. The length of the pipeline connecting oil fields in Kazakhstan’s western regions, including primarily Tengiz, with the marine terminal near Novorossiysk reaches 1,511 kilometres. The marine terminal allows safe tanker lifting at a considerable distance from the shore, even in unfavourable weather conditions.
“I have extremely good impressions about the event with the participation of President Nazarbayev! Everything passed in a celebratory atmosphere in keeping with the importance of the event celebrated these days – the 25th anniversary of Kazakhstan’s independence. The country leaders give great attention to the oil industry, because its development positively affects the state’s economy,” said CPC General Director Nikolai Gorban.
“The Tengiz-Novorossiisk oil pipeline is recognised as the main export route among three directions which are used for oil transportation to the world market. Therefore, our pipeline plays an important role in the development of the oil industry of Kazakhstan. The country is landlocked in the middle of the continent and the pipeline’s expanding capabilities allow the state to successfully move further into foreign markets,” he added.
The teleconference also presented Island D, a large-scale, high tech structure on the Caspian Sea shelf where oil is gathered and an initial gas separation process is performed. The first batch of Kashagan oil was sent for export Oct. 14 and is now transported through the CPC and KazTransOil pipelines.
The CPC shareholders are Russia – 31 percent (represented by Transneft – 24 percent, and CPC – 7 percent); Kazakhstan – 20.75 percent (represented by KazMunayGas – 19 percent and Kazakhstan Pipeline Ventures – 1.75 percent); Chevron CPC – 15 percent, LukArco – 12.5 percent, Mobil Caspian Pipeline – 7.5 percent, Rosneft-Shell Caspian Ventures Limited – 7.5 percent, BG Overseas Holding Limited – 2 percent, Eni International – 2 percent and Oryx Caspian Pipeline – 1.75 percent.
