Oil Chronicles
Oil Chronicles. April 2024
April

April 1, Alibek Kuantyrov was appointed the new General Director of the KazEnergy Association, after resigning as Minister of National Economy in February 2022. His background includes working in the office of the first president of Kazakhstan and the Ministry of Finance. His connection to the oil sector is through a four-month tenure in 2013 as Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Geology and Subsoil Use. He succeeded 65-year-old Kenzhebek Ibrashev, who had led KazEnergy since April 2021.
The Council for Rail Transport of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) imposed a conventional ban until April 24 on the rail transport of aviation kerosene to all consignees at all stations in the Republic of Kazakhstan. The ban was triggered by an oversupply of aviation fuel in the Kazakh market.
Ernar Kulkybayev was relieved of his duties as Chairman of the Management Board of QazaqGaz’s subsidiary KazTransGas Onimdari LLP. In late November last year, some media outlets reported that he was detained by law enforcement agencies along with Didar Sagymbekov, the Chief of Staff at QazaqGaz. The national company denied the reports at the time, stating that the executives were “at their workplaces.” However, Didar Sagymbekov subsequently left his post and was appointed Deputy General Director of Intergas Central Asia. Kulkybayev has held the position of Head of KazTransGas Onimdari since April 2022.
April 2, Abzal Doszhanov was appointed General Director of Atyrau Oil Refinery LLP by a decision of the general meeting of participants. The decision was made a month and a half after a scandal at the plant, when in January, Galymzhan Zhussanbayev was appointed as General Director, only to be dismissed in February following a conflict with the workforce. Zhussanbayev disagreed with the dismissal and alleged corruption and sabotage by top management.
The new plant manager is a native of Atyrau. He began his career as a process unit operator at the Atyrau Oil Refinery. Since 2010, he has worked at KMG International, where he rose to the position of First Deputy General Director—Chief Engineer of the Rompetrol Rafinare Refinery. Since 2023, he has served as Head of the Oil Refining Department at KazMunayGas.
After almost a six-year hiatus, Batumi Oil Terminal, owned by KazTransOil, resumed transshipment of Kazakh fuel oil. According to the company’s statement, loading dark petroleum products produced at Kazakhstani refineries onto Aframax tankers in batches of 60,000 - 80,000 tons has resumed. The cargo is destined for European countries. The loading is planned to be conducted every month. The resumption of this operation is linked to the diversification of transit and transportation routes for cargo.
Rzabek Artygaliyev was elected Chairman of the Presidium of the PetroCouncil Oil and Gas Council. From 2009 to 2022, he served as General Manager of Government and Public Relations at Tengizchevroil. PetroCouncil.kz serves as a dialogue platform for the development of local content in major oil and gas projects in Kazakhstan.
April 5, during a meeting of the Public Council of the Samruk-Kazyna Fund in Atyrau, it was announced that Rompetrol, included in the privatization plan of KazMunayGas for 2024, would not be sold this year. The reason is likely a lack of interest from potential buyers. Last year, negotiations were held with Poland’s Orlen, but the Kazakh side was unsatisfied with the terms offered. Additionally, the Petromidia refinery is undergoing major repairs, which have not been conducted for four years.