Oil Chronicles
Oil Chronicles. April 2025
April
Former Chairman of the Management Board of KazMunayGas, Alik Aidarbayev, has been appointed Deputy Director for Offshore Projects at Lukoil Kazakhstan Upstream.
In partnership with KazMunayGas, the Russian company Lukoil is beginning development of the offshore fields Kalamkas-Sea, Khazar, and Auezov in the Kazakhstani sector of the Caspian Sea.
April 6, American firm LanzaJet, KazMunayGas-Aero, and KazFoodProducts announced the start of a feasibility study (FS) for a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production plant in Kazakhstan.
“Our proven alcohol-to-jet technology offers a scalable and commercially viable pathway to convert renewable ethanol into low-carbon jet fuel,” said Jimmy Samartzis, General Director of LanzaJet.
The collaboration is especially relevant as Kazakhstan is a regional aviation hub. With KazFoodProducts’ experience in bioethanol production and local feedstock processing, the project enables the creation of a competitive SAF offering aligned with growing international airline demand.
The only oil and gas businessman holding a Kazakhstani passport has entered the Forbes World’s Billionaires ranking.
Forbes’ annual list of the world’s richest people ranks 58-year-old Timur Kulibayev, son-in-law of Kazakhstan’s first president Nursultan Nazarbayev, and his wife Dinara at 673rd, with $5.3 bln each.
Through Joint Resources JSC and Kipros LLP, the businessman holds numerous assets in Kazakhstan’s oil and gas sector.
Starting April 9, Galymzhan Zhusanbayev's authority as General Director of APNZ LLP has been terminated by the decision of the absentee general meeting of participants.
Kuanysh Bishimov, former General Director of the Pavlodar Petrochemical Plant, which also belongs to KazMunayGas, is the new head of the Atyrau Refinery.
During a meeting of the public council of the Samruk-Kazyna Fund, Samruk-Energy JSC head Kairat Maksutov announced that the new coal-fired CHP in Ust-Kamenogorsk is being designed with the capability to transition to Russian gas as fuel. “Yes, it is indeed planned to operate on coal, but at the design stage, we are already incorporating the option to switch to gas. Russian gas will transit through East Kazakhstan to China, and under current agreements, this gas could be used as a fuel source for the CHP.”
At the end of December 2024, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak announced the start of the practical implementation of the gas pipeline project from Russia to China via Kazakhstan. The pipeline’s planned capacity is 45 bln cu. m per year, with 10 bln cu. m to be allocated for the gasification of northeastern Kazakhstan.
Private company Kazakhstan FengYuanXinMao Energy Ltd., registered with the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC), has presented plans to drill six exploratory wells in the Kyzylkala and Duseke-Kulsary blocks in the Zhylyoi district of the Atyrau region.
The company’s beneficiary is GLORY ROAD TRADING LIMITED, which is registered in Hong Kong.
The work program includes:
- 2D seismic surveys (MOGT) totaling 500.55 linear km;
- drilling of two independent exploratory wells to a planned depth of 7,000 m, one at the Kyzylkala block and one at Duyseke-Kulsary;
- drilling of four contingent exploratory wells, depending on success.
Drilling operations are scheduled for 2026–2029. Based on the results, the company intends to assess reservoir content and calculate C2 and C1 reserves of discovered oil and gas accumulations.
Previously, the company initiated geological exploration at the Tasshagyl and Karashungul blocks in Atyrau region.
One of the two Single Point Mooring (SPM) systems at the CPC Marine Terminal that were taken out of operation on March 31 by order of Rostransnadzor has been brought back online.
According to CPC, oil loading is now being carried out via two SPMs, as per standard operating mode. The April crude export schedule from Kazakhstan will be met. “A separate announcement will be made on the resumption of operations at SPM CPC-2,” the statement reads.
April 15, Mazhdai Akhmetov was appointed General Director of the Pavlodar Petrochemical Plant.
He began his career in 2010 as a process unit operator at the plant and steadily progressed through all enterprise levels. His most recent position was deputy general director of production and chief engineer of the plant.
The authority of the previous General Director, Kuanysh Bishimov, was terminated in connection with his appointment as head of the Atyrau Refinery.
KazMunayGas has notified the Kazakhstan Stock Exchange (KASE) of the sale of 60% of its stake in Polymer Production LLP to Russia’s Sibur. The company, located in a special economic zone (SEZ) in the Atyrau region, manufactures polypropylene and polyethylene films and polypropylene sacks. KPI LLP, also located in the SEZ, supplies the raw material, propylene. Sibur already owns a 40% stake in this company and holds exclusive rights to export production.
Another Kazakhstani asset of the Russian company is Silleno LLP (30% stake), which began construction of a polyethylene plant in the SEZ on March 31.
In the port of Kuryk, Mangystau region, a ceremony was held to launch the first private Kazakhstani dry cargo vessel, named “Nasipkali Marabayev,” in honour of the former General Director of the Mangyshlakneft association.
The new vessel, which is 136 m long, 16 m wide, and 7 m high, is designed to transport various cargoes with a total weight of up to 7,000 tons. It is adapted for operations in the Caspian Sea and open seas and rivers and is operated by the joint venture of Semurg Invest (Kazakhstan) and Freeseas Container Shipping (UAE). It will be crewed entirely by Kazakhstani personnel. Nurzhan, grandson of Nasipkali Marabayev, heads Semurg Invest.
QazaqGaz and KazAzot signed a Joint Operations Agreement and Financing Agreement for the Severny-2 block in Aktobe region.
KazAzot, whose majority shareholder is Bahardyn Ablazimov (ranked #29 in Forbes Kazakhstan), will provide 100% carry financing in the amount required to fulfill the subsoil use contract during the exploration period. The planned scope of work includes 2D and 3D seismic surveys, and the drilling of one independent and one contingent exploratory well.
The block is located in the gas-bearing region of the Ustyurt-Bozashin sedimentary basin, which opens up prospects for the discovery of gas and gas condensate fields.
In December 2023, KazAzot announced plans to construct a $1 bln ammonia–urea plant in Aktau. Spain’s Tecnicas Reunidas had already completed the FEED.