ASTANA, Kazakhstan, August 22 – Askhat Khassenov, Chairman of the Management Board of KazMunayGas (KMG), recently met with leaders from China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) and Sinopec to discuss key joint ventures in oil and gas chemistry, geological exploration, and oil refining during his visit to China, according to a report by Trend.
In discussions with CNPC President Hou Qijun, the Zhanazhol oil and gas field’s Urea project emerged as a focal point. This project, a significant milestone for Kazakhstan’s gas chemical industry and agricultural sector, aims to produce up to 1.2 million tons of urea annually. With an estimated investment of $1.5 billion, the project is expected to generate around 3,000 jobs during construction and approximately 400 jobs during its operational phase. Agreements have been finalized with technology licensors and a leading global fertilizer trader for urea exports.
The discussions with CNPC also covered collaborative efforts in geological exploration, gas processing at the Urikhtau field, and the expansion of key infrastructure, including the Shymkent Refinery and vital pipelines like Kenkiyak-Atyrau and Kenkiyak-Kumkol.
In Beijing, Khassenov met with Sinopec Chairman Ma Yongsheng to discuss joint projects focused on the production of polyethylene, terephthalic acid (TPA), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET), with investments exceeding $8 billion. The projects are moving from preliminary studies to the Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) stage, with additional geological exploration initiatives under review.
These strategic engagements reinforce the growing partnership between Kazakhstan and China, highlighting the substantial benefits these projects are expected to deliver.
