Russia will construct a new trunk gas pipeline to supply fuel to the northern and northeastern regions of Kazakhstan. The decision was formalized in an order signed by the Russian government on February 18, which was published on the country’s official legal information portal.
According to the document, the pipeline will have a design capacity of 10 billion cubic meters of gas per year, with compressor stations capable of generating 50 megawatts. The route will pass through Russia’s Tyumen region.
Kazakhstan’s Gas Supply Strategy
Kazakhstan’s Energy Minister Almasadam Satkaliyev had previously outlined two potential strategies for ensuring gas supplies to the country’s northern regions.
- The first option involved extending Gazprom’s existing Saryarka pipeline project, which would supply Kazakh gas to northern Kazakhstan.
- The second option, now selected, is to import Russian gas through a newly built route.
Strategic Importance of Gasification
The issue of supplying gas to northern Kazakhstan was first raised by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in 2021. Tokayev emphasized that gasification of the Akmola and North Kazakhstan regions is a strategically important task.
“This is a matter of national importance,” he said at the time, stressing that expanding gas infrastructure would not only strengthen the region’s industrial potential but also enhance its attractiveness for business and improve living conditions for local residents.
