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Centre for the Development of Kazakhstani Content in Projects
In 2021, it is planned to launch an International Centre for the Development of Oil and Gas Engineering and Service in Kazakhstan. Vice-Minister of Energy of the Republic of Kazakhstan Zhumabay Karagayev told about how the centre will work and its tasks.
– When will the сentre be created?
– The сentre was registered with the justice department in February of this year. Three operators of the Tengiz, Kashagan and Karachaganak fields joined the Association as members in April. Currently, work is being carried out on the organization of the office, the development and approval of appropriate policies and procedures necessary for the start of the сentre's operation.
– What will be included in its functions? Will it develop any products, or will the centre be an intermediary between commodity producers and oil and gas companies?
- The сentre is a kind of middleman between buyers (for example, oil and gas companies) and suppliers of goods. The сentre's task is to obtain information, except commercially confidential information, analyze current and long-term market requirements, and identify potential products for development according to the required quality and time, particularly for the oil and gas industry. The goods are intended not only for use in Kazakhstan but also for export to international markets.
The сentre aims to increase the number and attract attention to qualified suppliers available in Kazakhstan for any potential client in this sector, not only for the main operators of oil and gas fields in Kazakhstan. In addition, the сentre aims to promote the creation of a sustainable community of qualified domestic suppliers of goods for both current and future technologies by identifying industry requirements at the local and global levels.
– As stated earlier, the сentre will be a single point of contact between the three operators (NCOC, KPO and TCO) and will coordinate the ongoing work. Is it considered that not only large operators will participate in this process, but also other small companies?
- The centre is a kind of middleman for interaction between local producers, focusing on three operators at the initial stage. The сentre will work with local companies to identify and eliminate production and commercial gaps, thereby increasing the number and quality of local suppliers for the domestic oil and gas industry.
Although the сentre and the operators will work together, the сentre will not function as a single point of contact. The operators will continue to maintain their systems, databases, qualification lists and procurement processes. After the centre begins to provide valuable services, there should be no restrictions, and, therefore, any client can contact the centre if its offered products and services are considered useful.
The main buyers of goods in large volumes are currently the three mentioned operators. Today, the main part of oil and gas equipment is imported from abroad. The operators of the Tengiz, Kashagan and Karachaganak fields intend to increase local content. One of the centre's tasks is to identify production and commercial gaps and develop recommendations for manufacturers. In addition, the centre will work to attract foreign investors to create joint ventures and localize production.
If we talk about other companies – subsoil users, the centre will carry out its work, guided by the agreement on coordination with operators.