Kazakhstan Output Down 0.8% in Q3

Kazakhstan’s 2016 gas output fell.79% to 33.5bn m³ through the end of September government data shows. According to figures, the associated gas volume went up 0.6% to 17.98bn m³, while dry gas production fell 2.3% in the same period. Gas condensate production also fell 0.6% to 9.031mn metric tons compared with the same period in 2015.

Output should rise sharply with the start of associated gas production from the Kashagan field October 14, when the field resumed operations after a three-year outage.

(Credit: US govt)

According to a report from Fitch Ratings, Kashagan production could reach 300,000 barrels of oil equivalent/day next year. The field may also strengthen the country's position as a major supplier of oil and gas to Europe, the report said.

The country also supplied 22.8mn m³ of marketable gas to the Kazakh Intergas Central Asia pipeline on October 14 although the government did not say where the gas went. Kazakhstan also plans to start gas export to China using the Central Asia – China gas pipeline in this quarter.

Azerbaijan desk