Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov met with Chairman of the Board of Directors of China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) Dai Houlihan, who arrived in Kazakhstan in the framework of the state visit of the President of the People's Republic of China. 

Considered issues of deepening investment co-operation in the energy sector. Particular attention was paid to the joint project to increase the production capacity of the Shymkent oil refinery. The participants of the meeting discussed the current stage of the project and confirmed the intention to accelerate the pace of modernisation for timely commissioning of the facility. 

Taking into account the expansion of the Shymkent refinery considered measures to provide the plant with a sufficient volume of feedstock and expansion of the Kenkiyak-Atyrau and Kenkiyak-Kumkol oil pipelines. Kazakhstan and Chinese experts are currently making the necessary calculations. 

During the meeting Olzhas Bektenov and Dai Houlyan outlined the prospects for further cooperation in the gas sector on the example of successful implementation of the joint project for the construction and commissioning of the first string of the gas pipeline "Beineu - Bozoi - Shymkent". 

Head of the Government noted that joint ventures are successful and economically profitable. At the same time, Prime Minister emphasised the importance of gradually increasing the share of local content through close cooperation with local producers of goods and service providers. 

"Kazakhstan, like many countries, sets itself a strategic task to ensure energy security of the country. First of all, it is the creation and modernisation of oil refining capacities. We pay special attention to increasing the production capacity of the Shymkent Refinery. One of the priorities in the implementation of all our projects is local content issues. If necessary goods or equipment are not produced in the country, we offer to jointly work out the issue of their localization on the territory of Kazakhstan in the near future," Olzhas Bektenov noted, confirming the Government's readiness for open and constructive dialogue in the implementation of joint plans.

For reference: China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) is among the top 3 largest oil companies in the world. More than $45 billion has been invested in the oil and gas industry of Kazakhstan. More than 30 thousand people work at CNPC enterprises in the country, 98.3% of them are Kazakhstani.

#Olzhas Bektenov #The Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan #Energy #International Cooperation #Investments