BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 22. Increasing the volume of gas extraction in Kazakhstan is subject to the result of geological surveys, Bolat Akchulakov, the Minister of Energy of Kazakhstan, said, Trend reports, citing Kazakh media.
“Should the results of geological surveys be positive, then we can auction the rights for the subsoil use,” Akchulakov noted.
The minister added that one of the challenges that the country currently faces is the increase in domestic demand for gas.
“Gas consumption is currently on the rise. Our task is to increase the production of commercial gas, which will be available on the market, to 30 billion cubic meters by 2030. Forecasted consumption for 2022 already exceeds 20 billion,” he stated.
Akchulakov also revealed that current gas production does not offer the government the possibility to convert existing combined heat and power plants (CHP), except the ones located in Kyzylorda, Turkestan, and Almaty energy center, to natural gas.
The minister concluded by saying that the construction of new power plants, operating on gas, is not being considered.
Gas supply and the gasification of the country is one of the important elements of the national strategy for improving energy infrastructure. Latest reports suggest that this indicator is currently at 59 percent of the total population, which is equivalent to 11.6 people.
Gasification measures are being implemented within the framework of the “General Gasification Scheme of Kazakhstan” envisioned to be implemented between 2015 and 2030.