Economy

Canadians to build liquefied gas plant in Kazakhstan, the first in Central Asia

Major gas project to be developed in the Mangystau region / Photo: Shutterstock, photo editor: Arthur Aleskerov

Condor Energies Inc., a Canadian-based energy transition company, will build methanol and liquefied natural gas (LNG) plants in Kazakhstan. Once operational, the LNG plant will be the first of its kind in Central Asia, according to the administration of the Mangystau region.

The announcement followed a meeting on July 8 between Nurdaulet Kilybay, governor of the region, and Norman Storm, managing director of Condor Energies and CEO of Qazaq LNG.

During the meeting, the parties discussed ongoing investment projects in the Mangystau region, including an LNG plant with a planned capacity of 145,000 tons per year, to be built on a 16-hectare site near the port of Kuryk on the Caspian Sea.

The LNG plant is expected to launch in 2027. Its construction phase will create approximately 300 jobs, while 100 permanent positions will be established once the facility becomes operational.

A second project involves building a methanol production plant adjacent to the LNG site. With a capacity of 100,000 tons per year, this plant is also scheduled to begin operations in 2027. During construction, it is expected to create 350 temporary jobs, followed by 200 permanent roles after completion.

LNG produced by Condor might be used in a wide range of transportation, including rail locomotives, long-haul truck fleets, marine vessels, mining equipment, municipal bus fleets, agricultural machinery and other equipment with large diesel engines. The company is implementing an LNG liquefaction technology that was originally developed by the U.S. Department of Energy. 

Condor Energies has operated in Kazakhstan since 2006. According to MarketScreener, its largest shareholder is EurAsia Resource Value SE, a Cyprus-based company holding a 21.41% stake, while Norman Storm personally holds 2.3% of the company’s shares.

In March 2025, Condor was granted a license for solid mineral extraction at the Kolkuduk field in Kazakhstan.