Atyrau, 23 October. A gas processing plant for 1bn cubic metres a year of associated gas from the Kashagan field, which GPC Investment is building in the Makat district of Atyrau region, is due to enter service in the fourth quarter of 2027, according to the project's environmental impact assessment.
"The period of construction and installation work is planned for 2026–2027. Operation of the facility is planned from the fourth quarter of 2027," the document says. From 1bn cubic metres of gas the plant will produce 727m cubic metres of marketable gas, 115,500 tonnes of liquefied gas, 17,000 tonnes of gas condensate and 218,500 tonnes of granulated sulphur. Marketable gas will go into the Makat–North Caucasus trunk pipeline, while liquefied gas, condensate and sulphur will be shipped by rail and road.
GPC Investment is a joint venture of Qatar's UCC Holding (75%) and the national company QazaqGaz (25%). Associated gas is gas that comes out of the reservoir together with oil.
What it means: Kashagan will have another plant for associated gas, which will supply marketable gas to the market. The start-up date is so far known only from environmental documents.
Who benefits: The domestic gas market gets an extra 727m cubic metres a year; UCC Holding and QazaqGaz get processing income; Atyrau region gets new jobs, the number of which the source does not give.
Background: The same day it emerged that an international tribunal had rejected $12bn of Kazakhstan's $20bn claim against the Kashagan shareholders over disputed costs.
List of sources used: Oil and Gas of Kazakhstan
Artificial intelligence was used in preparing this material.
