Kazakhstan, Astana, September 24/ Trend D.Mukhtarov /
Some seven billion cubic meters of associated gas will be sent to the integrated gas-chemical complex in Atyrau, Director of petrochemicals and technical regulation of the Ministry of Oil and Gas Sholpan Haydargalieva said at the press-conference in Astana on Tuesday.
"Some seven billion cubic meters of associated gas will be sent to the United Chemical Company LLP. About 2 billion cubic meters of it will be sent to the processing for getting ethane, propane and butane fractions. The remaining part will go back to Tengizchevroil for re-injection of gas in order to enhance oil recovery of layers at the Tengiz field," Haydargalieva said.
According to her, the gas of the Tengiz field will be used at the first stage, following this, gas condensate from Karachaganak will be used as a raw material and gas form Kashagan in completion of the complex's first phase.
According to her, the construction of the first integrated gas-chemical complex with total designed capacity of 1.25 million tons of polyethylene and propylene per year has already started in Atyrau province.
"A construction area was prepared and the construction of a number of facilities began. But the main work will begin after the financing issue which is issued through Kazakhstan's Development Bank is solved. Chinese Eximbank (Export-Import Bank) will provide loans. We will talk about large-scale works after the financing is provided," she stressed.
Work on the construction of the complex, the cost of which is estimated at $ 6.3 billion, is carried out by "Kazakhstan Petrochemical Industries Ltd" company. The complex is being built near the "Bolashak" plant where it is supposed to refine the oil of the Kashagan offshore field.
Part of the gas produced as a result of oil refining should serve as a starting material for the new complex.
The construction of the first gas chemical complex, given its high project cost, will be divided into two phases.
The implementation of the first phase costing about two billion dollars, which should be completed in 2014, involves the commissioning of the line for production of polypropylene with capacity of about 500,000 tons per year.
As it was earlier reported, the financing of the construction will be carried out by the Chinese loan under a loan agreement signed between the "Samruk-Kazyna" Fund and Chinese Eximbank (Export-Import Bank). The project will be financed through the Development Bank of Kazakhstan.