BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 17
Trend:
The government of Kazakhstan must create conditions for independent exploration and development of gas fields by independent investors, President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said.
The president made the remark during a meeting dedicated to the issues of the development of the gas industry, Trend reports with reference to the Kazakh presidential press service.
President Tokayev stressed that KazTransGas company will become a national gas company and will carry out activity along the entire chain from geological exploration to the sale of final products.
The president stressed that he considers the proposal of Samruk-Kazyna JSC to provide KazTransGaz company with the priority right of subsoil use for new fields as correct.
"At the same time, the government must carefully consider all aspects and conditions for granting such a right," the president added.
"It is important not to monopolize access to gas fields," President Tokayev added. "The government must create conditions for independent exploration and development of gas fields by independent investors."
"If the concept of a vertically integrated gas company is successfully implemented, the government, together with Samruk-Kazyna, will have to explore the possibility of holding initial public offering (IPO) for KazTransGas in 2022, as well as through the People's IPO," President Tokayev said.
"This will greatly revitalize the financial market and enable citizens to own a part of the country's gas assets," the president said.