Today, as part of a working visit to Atyrau region, Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan Bakytzhan Sagintayev held a cluster meeting on technological modernization of oil and gas enterprises within the framework of the Address of the Head of State "Third Modernization of Kazakhstan: Global Competitiveness" with the participation of big foreign investors, which work in Kazakhstan.

During the meeting, akim of Atyrau region Nurlan Nogayev, Minister of Energy of Kazakhstan Kanat Bozumbayev, Minister of Information and Communications Dauren Abayev gave speeches on measures, that are being implemented by the Government of Kazakhstan for digitalization of oil and gas sphere. 

In their turn, the representatives of large international companies, among whom are CEO of Karachaganak Petroleum Operating B.V. consortium Renato Maroli, Director of North Caspian Operating Company Bruno Jardin, Deputy General Director of Tengizchevroil LLP Eimear Bonner, General Director of CNPC-Aktobemunaigas JSC Wang Jinzhen, as well as Deputy Chairman of the Board of Petro Kazakhstan Kumkol Resources Adilbek Beklyev told about plans to modernize their enterprises and introduce new technologies into production.

In the course of his speech Bakytzhan Sagintayev noted that the third modernization of the economy, which is associated with the technological re-equipment of basic industries, sets the Government a number of tasks to create conditions for upgrading the skills of workers in the oil industry, ensuring the flow of potentially released workers by employment and increasing local content in the implementation of projects.

At the same time, it was noted that international companies that work in Kazakhstan need to increase the level of social responsibility to the local population, in particular, to increase access of local companies to tenders, to attract Kazakh workers to production and improve their skills. Currently, such work by foreign investors is not fully implemented.

In general, it was noted that today Kazakhstan forms the most part of its budget through the oil sector. In this regard, the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan implements plans for the digitalization of this industry, the main direction of which is the widespread introduction of the elements of the Fourth Industrial Revolution: automation, robotization, artificial intelligence and the exchange of "large data", which leads to a significant increase in labor productivity and competitiveness of the entire industry.

The government, together with business, is working on a plan for comprehensive measures for the technological re-equipment of basic industries until 2025, which will allow the sounded measures to be implemented on a systemic basis.

At the same time, the introduction of new technologies and digitalization is associated with the potential release of workers. Predicting such situations in advance, the Government is working to develop sectors that will be able to accept the potentially free flow of workers, including the service economy and the economy of simple things, that is, the spheres that have the greatest potential for rapid growth, with the appropriate support from the state.

In addition, during the meeting, projects were discussed to maintain the production level at the Karachaganak field, the future expansion of Tengizchevroil LLP and the issues of technological re-equipment of the gas industry.

The event was attended by representatives of government agencies, akimats of Atyrau, Aktobe, West Kazakhstan, Mangistau and Kyzylorda regions, Samruk-Kazyna NWF, Baiterek NMH, KazMunayGas NC, Atameken NCE.