ASTANA (TCA) — In 2017, Kazakhstan produced more than 86 million tons of crude oil (two percent more than planned) and exported about 70 million tons, Minister of Energy Kanat Bozumbayev said at a briefing on January 22, the official website of the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan reported.
Speaking about the results of the country’s energy sector in 2017 and the Energy Ministry plans for 2018, the minister said that almost 15 million tons of oil was processed at domestic refineries. A modernization project was implemented at the Pavlodar Petrochemical Plant, modernization projects at the Atyrau Oil Refinery have been completed and the refinery is currently undergoing commissioning.
Kazakhstan has three oil refineries — in Atyrau, Pavlodar, and Shymkent.
The minister said that the volume of natural gas production in 2017 was about 53 billion cubic meters or 10 percent above the plan. At the end of 2017, the level of gasification in Kazakhstan was 47.38 percent. In the current year, 16 projects will be implemented and the gasification level will be more than 48 percent.
In 2017, Kazakhstan generated 102.3 billion kWh of electricity and extracted 106.7 million tons of coal.
“2017 was a record year in terms of performance for the fuel and energy sector. And the task of 2018 for the ministry is to keep the given rate of growth and stimulate the industry for further development,” Bozumbayev said.
