Kazakhstan is looking to boost its gas exports to China significantly, with plans to construct a new pipeline at a cost of $3-6 billion, according to Sanjar Zharkeshov, CEO of QazaqGaz. This move will position Kazakhstan in competition with Russia and Turkmenistan for Chinese demand.
However, Temur Umarov, a researcher at the Carnegie Moscow Center, pointed out in an interview with The Insider that Kazakhstan is currently facing a gas shortage. This raises doubts about the feasibility of Zharkeshov’s proposal:
“Kazakhstan has been sending 10 billion cubic meters of gas annually through the ‘Central Asia-China’ pipeline originating in Turkmenistan. However, due to domestic gas shortages affecting state enterprises and power plants, Kazakhstan had to reduce its exports last year.”
Given Kazakhstan’s limited gas resources and lack of interest in expanding exports to China, it remains unclear why there is talk of an additional pipeline for re-exporting Russian gas. The Chinese preference for cheaper liquefied natural gas further complicates the situation.
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