Kazakhstan ready to allow transit of Russian gas to China, but there’s one condition
According to Kazakhstan’s Energy Minister Almasadam Satkaliyev, the country is interested in the transit of Russian gas to China. He said this on the sidelines of a meeting in the Mazhilis, the lower house of parliament.
«Let me be clear, this project is the prerogative of China and Russia. Only these two states can define the basic parameters of the project to kick it off. Kazakhstan, in turn, is interested in its implementation,» Satkaliyev said.
According to him, Kazakhstan is ready to authorize the transit through its territory on one condition: a portion of Russian gas exported to China must be supplied to Kazakhstani consumers at an agreed price.
«If the Russians decide to launch this export, we will be ready to provide our territory for the route, justifying this move with the need to supply a certain amount of gas — we are talking about 10 billion cubic meters — at an agreed price,» Satkaliyev underlined.
Earlier this month, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak claimed that Russia was considering exporting up to 35 billion cubic meters of gas to China through East Kazakhstan. According to the official, the engineering study of the route is still in its initial stage.
So far, all three sides – Moscow, Beijing and Astana – have shown interest in transporting gas through Kazakhstan, as reported by TASS, a Russian news agency, citing sources familiar with the matter.
«They [Kazakhstan] have their own gas fields in the Caspian Sea region. Of course, they would like to expand their exports of gas, and we are going to cooperate in this sphere as partners,» the media outlet reported, citing its sources.
This year, Russia has delivered about 40 billion cubic meters of gas to China. The base volume is transported via the Power of Siberia pipeline, which currently has a capacity of 30 billion cubic meters. (The capacity will be expanded to 38 billion cubic meters next year.) In addition, Russia and China have agreed to establish another pipeline — the Far Eastern Route — with a capacity of 10 billion cubic meters, expected to be completed by 2027.
