Serik Sultangaliyev, the General Director of KazTransGas company, stated in an exclusive interview with Trend Special Correspondent in Kazakhstan that the European direction remains important for Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Russia from the aspect of business development. The export of Kazakh oil to Europe is complicated with the problem of obtaining an access to the gas-transportation system of the Russian gas giant Gasprom.
Russia is the major exporter of gas to the European market. In this condition we understand that in the current situation, the development of gas from Kazakhstan is impossible without close co-operation with Russia.
At the same time we are in search of ways to deliver crude hydrocarbons to foreign markets. Kazakhstan takes an interest in the construction of the Trans-Caspian Gas Pipeline. The project is considered in connection with the construction of the South Caucasus Pipeline. Kazakhstan can join it if the subsea section of the Aktau-Baku pipeline is built under the Caspian Sea, he noted.
Mr. Sultangaliyev noted that there is a similar situation with the construction of a gas pipeline. This is the Blue Flow' running via the Black Sea.
The new project was approved not only by its direct participants (Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Turkey, which are to host the gas pipeline), but also by the European Union and the United States, the head of the company stressed.
However, whilst the project has had the support, there has also been opposition for reasons linked with the Caspian ecology. The idea is currently under discussion. Late this November Astana is to host the second international forum of energy specialists, which will consider the construction of the Trans-Caspian Gas Pipeline (CGP).