Kazakhstan to produce 53.5 bcm of gas in 2023 – minister

ASTANA. Dec 30 (Interfax) – Kazakhstan will produce 53.5 billion cubic meters of gas in 2023, while this year’s output of gas is expected to total 51.7 bcm, Energy Minister Bolat Akchulakov said.

"In the twelve months of 2022, gas production is anticipated to come to 51.7 bcm, a decrease of 3.9% compared with 2021," the minister said at a Friday briefing in Astana.

The decline in gas production followed a decrease in oil output, since gas is a by-product of oil production in Kazakhstan, according to the minister.

"The gas output target for 2023 is 53.5 bcm," he said.

Production of saleable gas in 12M 2022 is expected to be 27.6 bcm, a 6.1% decline from the previous year.

"The saleable gas output target for 2023 is 28.2 bcm," the minister said.

Production of liquefied petroleum gas in 2022 is anticipated to amount to 2.82 million tonnes, a 10.8% decrease compared with 2021.

"The decrease in production is due to the repairs of the CPC terminal, which prevented TengizChevroil from meeting its oil production target," the minister said.

Another factor that has led to a reduction in the liquefied petroleum gas production has been the lack of investment attractiveness of the industry, for petroleum products are mainly sold at prices below the production costs, according to Akchulakov.

Output of petrochemical products is expected to reach 256,000 tonnes in 2022, an increase of 34.7% from the previous year.

"In 2023, we plan to produce 515,000 tonnes of petrochemical products," Akchulakov said.