The ambitious 2.5 billion cubic meters per year gas processing plant project situated at Kazakhstan’s Kashagan field has now transitioned into its practical implementation phase, as confirmed by the country’s Minister of Energy, Yerlan Akkenzhenov.
Minister Akkenzhenov disclosed this development during a dedicated meeting focused on the advancement of the gas processing plant project. Attendees reviewed the project’s current status, addressed coordination matters among involved parties, and discussed essential measures to ensure the facility’s timely operational launch. The minister emphasized the project’s significant strategic value for bolstering Kazakhstan’s gas industry, underscoring that it remains under the close scrutiny of both the president and the government of Kazakhstan.
It was officially stated that, through a governmental decree, a consortium comprising the China National Chemical Engineering Sixth Construction Company Kazakhstan Branch and China Wuhuan Engineering Corporation Ltd. has been designated as the Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) contractor for this crucial undertaking.
Following the productive meeting, Minister Akkenzhenov issued directives to all participants, urging them to foster effective coordination and maintain constructive collaboration to meet the project’s established timelines. Additionally, QazaqGaz received instructions to furnish the Ministry of Energy with monthly progress reports, detailing implemented actions and any emerging challenges to facilitate prompt resolution. The Kashagan gas plant is poised to enhance national energy capabilities.
Concurrent to this, active construction is also in progress for a distinct gas processing plant at Kashagan, which will possess a capacity of 1 billion cubic meters. The combined capacity of these two plants will ultimately permit the processing of up to 3.5 billion cubic meters of gas extracted from the Kashagan field. The development of the Kashagan gas plant represents a significant step for the region’s energy sector.
The vast Kashagan field, according to the North Caspian Operating Company (NCOC), holds estimated recoverable oil reserves ranging from approximately 9 to 13 billion barrels, equivalent to 1 to 2 billion tonnes. This significant oil discovery is located offshore in a shallow-water zone, approximately 80 kilometers from the city of Atyrau, in waters about 3 to 4 meters deep. The oil reservoirs themselves are situated over 4 kilometers beneath the seabed, at a depth of around 4,200 meters. The production infrastructure encompasses both offshore and onshore operational complexes, highlighting the scale of the Kashagan field operations and the importance of the new Kashagan gas plant.
