KazTransGas Launches New Pipeline 5 Months Ahead of Schedule

KazTransGas has officially launched Kazakhstan's newest gas pipeline, the Beineu-Shymkent-Bozoi gas pipeline. The launch comes five months ahead of the project's scheduled launch date.

The construction of the pipeline, which is included in the country's state program for accelerated industrial-innovative development, makes it possible to transit a stable supply of gas from the country's western gas fields to the south of the country .

"Commissioning of the pipeline is historic in its significance, because it combined all gas pipelines of the country into a single gas transportation system," chairman of the Board of KazTransGas, Kairat Sharipbayev, said. "That allows us to diversify gas transportation through the territory of Kazakhstan in any direction, and completely eliminate the dependence on imported gas."

The new pipeline will ensure KazTransGas can continue to implement the Head of State's aims of increasing the transit capacity and transport of energy resources, he added.

The project was planned to be completed in April 2016, but has been put into operation five months earlier to coincide with the beginning of the heating season. The project has come in at 150 billion Tenge ($500 million)  less than the initial projected cost, KazTransGas said. 

The new pipeline will bring gas to an additional 577 settlements in the southern areas, where half of the population lives, it added.