Editor❜s Note
From the publisher
One year after the release of our previous special issue on petrochemicals and petroleum refining (Petroleum, No. 3-2022), several significant events have transpired. These events indicate substantial steps towards the development of a domestic gas chemical industry.
In November 2022, a polypropylene production plant finally commenced operations in the Atyrau region. With a projected capacity of 500,000 tons of polypropylene per annum, the plant is anticipated to fully satisfy the needs of the domestic market. This development is also poised to stimulate the growth of small and medium enterprises across the country.
In the spring of this year, the constituent members of a polyethylene production plant seemed to have been definitively established. Aside from KazMunayGas, the participants will include Russia's Sibur and China's Sinopec. In May, the partners began developing the basic design (EBD/FEED). The final investment decision (FID) by the project participants is expected next year. An important milestone in the project's progress was reaching an agreement with Tengizchevroil on the construction site for the gas separation complex within the Tengiz contract territory, followed by ethane supply from the field for processing.
Looking forward, the focus is on the implementation of a gas processing plant with a capacity of 4 bln cubic meters near Kashagan. This will provide additional volumes of both marketable gas and raw materials for the gas chemical industry. Samruk-Kazyna has announced the creation of a joint working group consisting of QazaqGaz and CNPC specialists to discuss the project further. At the Astana Economic Forum, the head of QazaqGaz, Sanzhar Zharkeshov, expressed Qatar's interest in constructing a plant. We are eagerly anticipating further news.
Best Regards,
Oleg Chervinskiy,
Publisher