BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 6. Measures have been initiated to expand the list of categories of consumers ready to purchase commodity gas at market prices in Kazakhstan, Board Chairman of QazaqGaz National Company Sanzhar Zharkeshov said at the government meeting in the Mazhilis [lower house of the parliament], Trend reports via the parliament.
According to Zharkeshov, it’s important to maintain gas exports at the level of five billion cubic meters for the profitability of the national company.
"The national operator, faced by a shortage of commercial gas resources and unprofitable prices in the domestic market, initiated a set of proposals for a bill of "quick measures" on a socially fair pricing reform, including expansion of the list of categories of consumers ready to purchase marketable gas at market prices,” he noted. “In the field of developing the domestic market, companies aim to increase the gas supply level to 65 percent by 2030 and achieve profitability.”
Besides, according to the company’s chairman, implementation of the General Gas Supply Scheme of Kazakhstan will continue with the attraction of private investments from independent gas distribution organizations.
"The implementation of new gas transportation projects will be carried out subject to the payback of the projects themselves and the presence of a synergy effect for the company's activities," Zharkeshov further said.
He also noted that work is underway to exclude intermediary structures from the sale of commodity gas to commercial consumers.
"For example, there is an intermediary who bought gas from QazaqGaz at a price of 5.5 tenge (1.3 cents) per one cubic meter and sold it at 32 tenge (7.3 cents) per one cubic meter," explained the company’s head.
Earlier, Energy Minister Bolat Akchulakov forecasted gas shortage in Kazakhstan by 2025.