Kazakhstan, the biggest energy producer in central Asia, plans to raise natural-gas production by 12 percent this year, Bloomberg reported.
Gas output in the Caspian Sea state will rise to 42 billion cubic meters in 2011 from 37.4 billion cubic meters last year, according to the Oil & Gas Ministry's plan published today in Kazakhstanskaya Pravda, the official newspaper. Output in 2012 is projected at 42.5 billion cubic meters, the ministry said.
Exports of the fuel will rise to 9.2 billion cubic meters this year from 9.1 billion last year, the ministry's figures show. The nation exported 7 billion cubic meters of gas in 2009.
Kazakhstan accounted for 1 percent of global gas production in 2009, according to BP Plc. Four producers accounted for almost 90 percent of the nation's output that year, the ministry said. These were CNPC-AktobeMunaiGaz, Tolkynneftegaz LLP, Chevron Corp (CVX).-led TengizChevroil LLP and Karachaganak Petroleum Operating BV, the venture led by Eni SpA (ENI) and BG Group Plc. (BG/)
Russia sent 48 billion cubic meters of gas through Kazakhstan, while Turkministan and Uzbekistan shipped 11.9 billion and 13.4 billion respectively in 2009, it said.
Abzal Nurkasymov, a spokeswoman for the Astana-based Oil & Gas Ministry, declined to comment immediately.
The following table shows the ministry's estimates for Kazakhstan's gas production. All figures are in billions of cubic meters unless otherwise specified.
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
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Raw gas output 36.0 37.4 42.0 42.5 52.9 55.8 59.3
Dry (trade) gas output 19.7 21.3 25.3 25.7 32.1 3 1.6 30.7
Liquefied gas output
(in thousands tons) 1,825 2,245 2,250 2,280 2,340 2,360 2,360
Natural gas export 7.0 9.1 9.2 10.7 15.9 14.6 12.0
Liquefied gas export
(in thousands tons) 1,305 1,550 1,580 1,600 1,640 1,660 1,660
Domestic
Consumption of gas 8.6 9.0 9.2 12.0 12.8 14.2 15.2
including consumption
of liquefied gas
(in thousands tons) 520 695 700 700 700 700 700
International transit
of gas (expected) 73 82 89 102 102 102 102