QazaqGaz projects twofold increase in gas consumption in Kazakhstan by 2030
By 2030, the demand for commercial gas in Kazakhstan is expected to double, according to Aidyn Akan, Chief Financial Officer at QazaqGaz National Company, a subsidiary of the state-owned holding Samruk-Kazyna.
«Demand for gas is growing rapidly in Kazakhstan; it will double by 2030, which is why we have to make decisions regarding new sources of gas. There is no single recipe. First and foremost, we’re talking about exploration and production,» he said during the annual S&P Global Commodity Insights Astana Market Briefing.
As the official noted, although Kazakhstan is widely known as an oil-producing country, it also produces associated gas, which has so far been sufficient for domestic needs.
«Now that QazaqGaz has become an independent national company, the importance of exploration and production has increased. We expect an annual increase of 1 to 2 billion cubic meters of gas over the next five years. As you know, this process is slow but steady. We’re going to boost volumes and attract new investors,» Akan added.
He also sees potential for increasing gas output through infrastructure development between gas fields and major consumers.
«I think that we will be using gas from Karachaganak and other fields within the next five years. In particular, we aim to produce 5.8 billion cubic meters of gas annually,» he said.
Akan described gas imports from Russia and Turkmenistan as a temporary measure to balance supply and demand. These short- to mid-term strategies are expected to help stabilize the market, even as Kazakhstan increasingly redirects its own gas to the domestic market.
According to Paulina Mirenkova, director of Russian and Caspian Energy at S&P Global Commodity Insights, Kazakhstan could transition from a net exporter to a net importer of gas by 2040. This shift could occur even earlier, depending on the balance between domestic demand and supply. In 2024, Kazakhstan was a net exporter of 1.5 billion cubic meters of gas. The country imports gas from Russia and Turkmenistan and exports it to China.
