Kazakhstan, Astana, Dec.24 / Trend, D.Mukhtarov /
Kazakhstan is a country that does not have access to open sea. Therefore, access to export markets, primarily through main pipelines is crucial for the country. Today, the following pipeline projects are developed in the country:
Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) (Tengiz - Novorossiysk)
The Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) is international stock company constructing and operating the CPC pipeline, which links the Western Kazakhstan fields (Tengiz, Karachaganak) with the Russian Black Sea coast (Southern Ozerevka terminal near Novorossiysk).
The shareholders of the consortium are Transneft " (Russia) - 24 percent, CPC Company (Russia) - 7 percent, "KazMunaiGas" (Kazakhstan) - 19 percent, Kazakhstan Pipeline Ventures LLC (Kazakhstan) - 1.75 percent, Chevron Caspian Pipeline Consortium Company - 15 percent, LUKARCO B.V. - 12.5 percent, Mobil Caspian Pipeline Company - 7.5 percent, Rosneft-Shell Caspian Ventures Limited - 7.5 percent, BG Overseas Holding Limited - 2 percent, Eni International N.A. N.V. - 2 percent, Oryx Caspian Pipeline LLC - 1.75 percent.
Length of the oil pipeline is 1,510 km. Capacity of the first stage - 28.2 million tons per year, including 22 million tons of Caspian oil. Full capacity will be reached by mid-2004.
Project status
Initially, the project was developed with the expectation that its initial capacity will be increased to 67 million tons per year. It is necessary to construct new pumping stations, oil storage tanks at the terminal in Novorossiysk in this regard.
Project of expansion of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium was launched. A 52-million ton capacity per year for Kazakh oil is expected to be available in the first quarter of 2015.
In September, the backlog in the schedule of work to expand the capacity of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) was six months or more. Work should be completed in 2015. Primarily completion date was 2014.
CPC expansion project envisages the construction of 10 additional oil pumping stations (two - in Kazakhstan, eight - in Russia), six crude oil storage tanks in Novorossiysk and third mooring facility at the CPC Sea Terminal, as well as replacement of 88 kilometers of the pipeline in Kazakhstan
The governing bodies of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium in November 2012 discussed the construction of facilities within the expansion project.
CPC shareholders confirmed the immutability of the budget approved by them in 2010, while making a final decision on investing in the expansion project, which amounts to $5.4 billion.
Uzen - Atyrau - Samara Oil Pipeline
The Uzen - Atyrau - Samara oil pipeline envisages access to the Eastern Europe's markets through Russia. The pipeline originates from the Uzen field to Atyrau oil refinery, connects to Samara or "Transneft" oil pipelines system.
Owners of the oil pipeline are the Kazakh transport company "KazTransOil" to the Russian border, on Russian territory - Russian transport company "Transneft".
The oil pipeline is operated by the Western branch of CJSC "KazTransOil" (in Kazakhstan) and JSC "Privolzhsknefteprovod" of "Transneft" (in Russian territory).
The length of the Uzen-Atyrau-Samara oil pipeline is over 1,380 km, while 1,232 km in the territory of Kazakhstan. Volume of pumped oil is 15.75 million tons. The maximum capacity of the oil pipeline is 30 million tons of oil. The installed capacity of the main oil pipeline on sections is: Uzen - Atyrau - 21 million tons per year, Atyrau-Samara - 15 million tons per year.
Project Status
The Atyrau-Samara pipeline, according to the Oil and Gas Ministry of Kazakhstan, will transport 15 million tons in 2012. The pipeline remains one of the key routes for Kazakhstan, but the republic has no plans to expand exports in this direction.
"Atyrau-Kenkiyak-Kumkol-Atasu-Alashankou" oil pipeline (Kazakhstan-China)
The "Atyrau-Kenkiyak-Kumkol-Atasu-Alashankou" oil pipeline is run by the Company "Kazakhstan-China pipeline." Its shareholders are "KazTransOil" and China National Oil and Gas Exploration and Development Corporation (CNODC) on terms of equal shares.
The construction of the Kazakhstan-China aims to diversify the oil transportation directions in the framework of the policy on creation of a multi-vector system for transportation of hydrocarbons of independent Kazakhstan. The project implementation will connect the two separate oil pipeline systems in the Republic of Kazakhstan and ensure the supply of hydrocarbons to the promising Chinese market. The pipeline receives oil mostly from the Kumkol field, but in future it is supposed to pump oil produced in the Mangistau region and from the Kashagan field.
The construction of the Kazakhstan - China oil pipeline is planned in two phases.
The first phase was the implementation of the project Atasu - Alashankou pipeline, length of which - is 962 km, diameter is 813 mm. The capacity of the first phase is 10 million tons per year, with further expansion to 20 million tons a year. The route of the pipeline passes through three areas: Karaganda, East Kazakhstan and Almaty to final Alashankou in China. The project is financed by debt financing guaranteed by the Chinese side. First launch complex was commissioned in July 2006; the construction is fully completed in 2008.
Some 10.1 million tones of oil were transported through the Atasu-Alashankou in 2010, 5.8 million tons of oil with anti-friction additives - for the first half of 2011.
The project of building the Kenkiyak-Kumkol oil pipeline with capacity of 10 million tons per year is the first stage of the second phase of the project of construction of the Kazakhstan-China oil pipeline. Kenkiyak-Kumkol oil pipeline with length of 794 km and a diameter of 813 mm pass through the territories of Aktobe, Kyzylorda and Karaganda regions of Kazakhstan. Throughput capacity of the pipeline is 10 million tons per year, expandable to 20 million tons a year.
The project was financed by debt financing guaranteed by the Chinese side. Launch complex was commissioned in October 2009; the construction of the first stage of Kenkiyak-Kumkol pipeline is fully completed in December 2010.
It is planned to achieve full design capacity - 20 million tons per year at Alashankou in the frame of the second phase.
As for construction of the entire pipeline system from Atyrau to Alashankou, negotiations are currently being held with China on commercial terms and mutually acceptable balance. These negotiations will be completed this year. Expansion in the area from Atyrau to Atasu is scheduled to begin in 2013 and be completed in 2014. These negotiations will affect the issues of the resource base provision, the definition of commercial parameters, in particular tariffs.
Today, about 100 billion tenge (150.64 tenge = $ 1) are required to bring the capacity of Atyrau - Alashankou section to 20 million tons. The possibility of using the funds from the sale of People's IPO campaign for the construction of the pipeline is not ruled out.
The construction of pumping station 11 of Atasu - Alashankou oil pipeline began in the frame of agreement reached in 2010. Commissioning of the NPC 11 will increase the capacity of the pipeline to 12 million tons a year
A new oil pumping station which will increase the capacity of the Kazakhstan - China pipeline from 10 million to 12 million tons wasd launched at the Usharal station in southern Kazakhstan in 2011. Two more pumping stations, NPC No.8 in the Agadyr and NPC No.10 in the Sayak area will be commissioned at the Atasu-Alashankou site in 2012-2013.
Five pumping stations will be built in the west on the site of Kenkiyak - Kumkol. Kazakhstan exports 11 million tons via this pipeline in 2012. It is planned to increase it up to 20 million tons. Kazakhstan is planning to pump 14 million tons of oil via the Kazakhstan - China pipeline in 2014.
Kazakhstan Caspian Oil Transportation System (KCTS)
On Jan.24, 2007 Kazakh National Company "KazMunaiGas" signed a Memorandum of Understanding on creating the Kazakh Caspian oil transportation system, which will allow exporting oil from the Kashagan and Tengiz fields through the Caspian Sea to Europe.
CTS will consist Eskene-Kurik pipeline, system of tanker supplies from the Kurik Port and further by Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline.
Kazakhstan links launch of new logistic route - Kazakhstan Caspian Oil Transportation System with launch of the second phase of Kashagan.
Multi-transport KCTS should have initial capacity of 23 million tons per year.
Project Status
There is no information on the volumes on the second phase of the Kashagan production yet, as the budget of the project's second phase has not approved yet. According to the Kazakh Oil Ministry, production on the second phase will fall to the period no earlier than 2018-2019, respectively, KCTS will start functioning by this time.