news
Kazakhstan Energy Roundup - July 17, 2008
Gas pipeline gigantism
(Asia Times) - Ground was broken in Kazakhstan last week for construction of that country’s segment of a natural gas pipeline from Turkmenistan to China, set to be the longest and most expensive such pipeline in the world.
Central Asian natural gas pipeline off after blast
(AP - Forbes) - Part of a pipeline carrying natural gas from energy-rich Central Asia to Russia has been shut down after being damaged by an explosion.
Kazakhstan eyeing stake in Burgas-Alexandroupolis project (RBC News)
Jupiter Energy secures $50m loan (The West Australian)
Kyrgyzstan starts to export electric power to Kazakhstan (Kazinform)
Kazakhstan News Roundup - July 16, 2008
energy:
Chevron says Kazakhstan exempted venture from oil export duty
(Bloomberg) - Chevron Corp.’s venture in Kazakhstan said the government granted it an exemption to a new duty on oil exports more than a month before the tax came into effect.
Kazakhstan’s flagship oil company KazMunaiGas E&P expected to significantly increase reserves and production
(SRI - Stock Market Notes) - KMG E&P, the flagship oil firm of Kazakhstan, represents a strong long term buy at the current market capitalization of $US12Bn.
Arawak Energy issues additional share on LSE (SRI)
Costs and losses rise at Max Petroleum (ShareCast)
mineral resources:
Kazakhmys says it’s not considering reverse takeover
(Bloomberg) - Kazakhmys Plc, which said yesterday it was in talks about a possible merger with an unidentified company, isn’t planning a transaction that would be classified as a reverse takeover.
Lombard: Kazakhmys and Metalloinvest (Financial Times)
Kazakhmys plans to start gold production at Bozymchak in Kyrgyzstan in 2009 (SRI)
business and economy:
Kazakhstan’s Astana Motors plans IPO in 2009
(SRI) - Astana Motors, part of the Astana Group holding, is preparing for an initial public offering in 2009.
Kazakhstan’s real estate market in danger of collapse
(SRI) - The real estate market in Kazakhstan is in danger of a collapse as unemployment grows and inflation reduces the purchasing power of the population.
Kazakh fixed capital investment up more than 12 percent in H1 (SRI)
ATF Bank raised $100 million (SRI)
National Bank of Kazakhstan: Exchange rates July 16, 2008 (Kazinform)
politics:
Kazakhstan hosts OSCE parliamentary assembly
(Eurasia Daily Monitor) - The 17th session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly hosted by Kazakhstan in Astana is generally seen as a diplomatic victory for Kazakhstan on its uphill way to political recognition by the Western world.
Presidents of UAE and Kazakhstan hold talks (Gulf News)
society:
Kazakhstan churches say draft law is reminder of Soviet era (Ecumenical News International)
regional news:
Turkmenistan: Gas pipeline with Kazakhstan, Russia is top priority
(Kommersant) - Turkmenistan has declared top priority the project of Turkmenistan-Kazakhstan-Russia gas pipeline and announced the launch of its actual implementation.
Turkmenistan to launch Russia gas pipeline in 2010 (Reuters)
Medvedev patiently courting Central Asian leaders (Eurasia Daily Monitor)
Kazakhstan Politics Roundup - July 16, 2008
Kazakhstan hosts OSCE parliamentary assembly
(Eurasia Daily Monitor) - The 17th session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly hosted by Kazakhstan in Astana is generally seen as a diplomatic victory for Kazakhstan on its uphill way to political recognition by the Western world.
Presidents of UAE and Kazakhstan hold talks (Gulf News)
Kazakhstan Regional News Roundup - July 16, 2008
Turkmenistan: Gas pipeline with Kazakhstan, Russia is top priority
(Kommersant) - Turkmenistan has declared top priority the project of Turkmenistan-Kazakhstan-Russia gas pipeline and announced the launch of its actual implementation.
Turkmenistan to launch Russia gas pipeline in 2010 (Reuters)
Medvedev patiently courting Central Asian leaders (Eurasia Daily Monitor)
Kazakhstan News Roundup - July 15, 2008
energy:
Karachaganak group to pay Kazakh oil export duty
(Reuters) - A consortium developing the huge Karachaganak gas field in Kazakhstan has become the first Western entity in the Central Asian nation to fall under a new oil export duty.
Tengizchevroil to lower production in July, August
(SRI) - Tengizchevroil, the operator of the Tengiz field, will lower its average daily crude production in July and August, as it conducts annual maintenance of its facilities.
Kashagan leads Kazakhstan to increase trans-Caspian oil
(CACI Analyst) - Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan have culminated years-long negotiations with agreements that increase the amounts of Kazakhstani oil to be shipped across the Caspian Sea, supplementing Azerbaijani crude in the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline.
A new oil bully in the Caspian?
(TOL - BusinessWeek) - Kazakhstan, with an output potential of 1.5 million barrels a day, shows signs of rivaling Russia in strut and swagger.
BG names new head of its Kazakhstan operations
(SRI) - Peter Dranfield has been named the president of BG Kazakhstan, the oil grouped announced.
Kazakhstan in talks to buy Turkmen gas (iStockAnalyst)
Imperial Energy receives takeover approach amid ONGC report (Economic Times)
Caspian Energy Inc.: Aransay #711 post-salt spud (marketwire)
Max Petroleum confirms approval of asset exchange agreement (OilVoice)
mineral resources:
Kazakhmys in early talks on possible sale of company
(Bloomberg) - Kazakhmys Plc, Kazakhstan’s biggest copper producer, confirmed it’s in takeover discussions after the Financial Times reported Russia’s OAO Metalloinvest may buy a controlling stake.
ArcelorMittal Kazakhstan unit cuts capacity
(Reuters) - ArcelorMittal’s steel unit in Kazakhstan has cut production capacity due to disruptions in electricity supplies.
business and economy:
Kazakhstan’s GDP grew 5 percent in first half of 2008 (SRI)
Kazakhstan Kagazy says paper business granted tax holidays until 2013
(Thomson Financial - Hemscott) - Kazakhstan Kagazy Plc. said its paper business, Kagazy Recycling LLP, has been granted tax holidays until 2013 within the framework of the state scheme to promote domestic producers.
Kazakhstan may harvest 17 million tons of grain in 2008 (SRI)
Prices for agricultural products in Kazakhstan rose almost 13 percent in H1 (SRI)
Kazakhstan: grain productivity in the south of the country decreased by 50% (AgriMarket.info)
Kazakhstan’s Tsesnabank selects BPC card processing technology (finextra.com)
UAE and Kazakhstan look to forge strategic partnership (Khaleej Times)
Astana hosts forum on water management in Central Asia (Kazinform)
National Bank of Kazakhstan: Exchange rates July 15, 2008 (Kazinform)
Indicators - July 14, 2008 (Reuters)
politics:
Russian and Kazakhstan strive to put democratization arm in sling (EurasiaNet)
Russia and Kazakhstan to hold joint war games in 2009-2011 (RIA Novosti)
Authorities and opposition set up a council to handle social conflicts in Almaty (Interfax)
Seoul Mayor to make official visit to Kazakhstan (Kazinform)
regional news:
Central Asia: Officials struggle to contain outbraks of anthrax, typhoid
(EurasiaNet) - A winter of hardship has given way to the summer of pestilence in Central Asia. Contagious diseases, such as anthrax and typhoid, are stoking public health crises in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan.
Baku-Tbilisi-Kars is strategic cooperation project: Interview with Minister of Transport of Turkey (TREND)
Kazakhstan Business and Economy Roundup - July 15, 2008
Kazakhstan Kagazy says paper business granted tax holidays until 2013
(Thomson Financial - Hemscott) - Kazakhstan Kagazy Plc. said its paper business, Kagazy Recycling LLP, has been granted tax holidays until 2013 within the framework of the state scheme to promote domestic producers.
Kazakhstan may harvest 17 million tons of grain in 2008 (SRI)
Prices for agricultural products in Kazakhstan rose almost 13 percent in H1 (SRI)
Kazakhstan: grain productivity in the south of the country decreased by 50% (AgriMarket.info)
Kazakhstan’s Tsesnabank selects BPC card processing technology (finextra.com)
UAE and Kazakhstan look to forge strategic partnership (Khaleej Times)
Astana hosts forum on water management in Central Asia (Kazinform)
National Bank of Kazakhstan: Exchange rates July 15, 2008 (Kazinform)
Indicators - July 14, 2008 (Reuters)
Kazakhstan Energy Roundup - July 15, 2008
BG names new head of its Kazakhstan operations
(SRI) - Peter Dranfield has been named the president of BG Kazakhstan, the oil grouped announced.
A new oil bully in the Caspian?
(TOL - BusinessWeek) - Kazakhstan, with an output potential of 1.5 million barrels a day, shows signs of rivaling Russia in strut and swagger.
Kazakhstan in talks to buy Turkmen gas (iStockAnalyst)
Imperial Energy receives takeover approach amid ONGC report (Economic Times)
Caspian Energy Inc.: Aransay #711 post-salt spud (marketwire)
Max Petroleum confirms approval of asset exchange agreement (OilVoice)
Kazakhstan News Roundup - July 14, 2008
energy:
KazMunaiGas interested in Oman’s stake in CPC
(SRI) - KazMunaiGas (KMG), the national oil company, has confirmed its interest in acquiring Oman’s stake in the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) pipeline.
Kazmunaigas interested in Oman’s Kazakh ventures
(Reuters) - Kazakhstan, which is eyeing Oman’s stake in the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC), is also interested in the Arab Gulf state’s upstream Kazakh assets.
KazMunaiGas to drill at the Myortvy Kultuk block in the Caspian Sea
(SRI) - KazMunaiGas, the national oil company signed a contract with the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources to explore and develop the Myortvy Kultuk block in the Kazakh sector of the Caspian Sea.
KazMunaiGas closing the deal on Mangistaumunaigas
(SRI) - KazMunaiGas (KMG), the national oil company, is purchasing a 51 percent stake in Mangistaumunaigas (MMG), an oil company, and planning to close the deal this year.
Russian-Kazakh joint venture to process Kazakh gas (RBC News)
Petrolinvest halves 2008 extraction target (Reuters)
EDB to finance construction of a third power unit at Ekibastuz GRES-2 (Interfax)
Kazakhstan appears among top five uranium producers (Interfax)
business and economy:
Kazakhstan H1 industrial production growth stalls
(Reuters) - Kazakhstan’s industrial production growth stalled in the first half of this year to 3.8 percent compared with 6.8 percent in the same period of 2007.
Kazakhstan gears up to tackle food crisis
(Xinhua) - Kazakhstan, a central Asian country that has also been severely affected by the worldwide food crisis, has put in place a series of significant measures to curb the skyrocketing food prices.
Kazakhstan’s defence industry: Development and partial conversion
(www.defsec.info - SRI) - Out of the 23 Kazakhstan defence companies, only 13 - 14 remain in the business, covering national, regional defence demands, the rest goes the way of conversion.
Kaztemirtrans, Kazmortransflot pool efforts to develop transport infrastructure (SRI)
Aktau sea port transshipped over 56.000 tonnes of grain during 6 months (AgriMarket.info)
National Bank of Kazakhstan: Exchange rates July 12-14, 2008 (Kazinform)
Indicators - July 11, 2008 (Reuters)
politics:
Convenient “suicide” removes key witness in Kazakh scandal
(RFE/RL - EurasiaNet) - eneral Zhomart Mazhrenov spent more than 25 years in the service of the Soviet KGB and Kazakh KNB. But on July 8, the general decided to end it all — and hang himself.
Kazakhstan to have modern precision weapons soon - defense minister (Interfax)
Russia, Kazakhstan to sign three-year war games deal (RIA Novosti)
UAE President to visit Kazakhstan Monday (WAM)
society:
New Kazakh media company bodes ill for independent press
(RFE/RL - EurasiaNet) - A new Kazakh media holding company, made up of outlets that support the government, has what’s left of the independent media more than a little worried.
Kazakhstan News Roundup - July 10, 2008
energy:
Construction of Kazakhstan-China gas pipeline started
(SRI) - Construction of the 1,300-kilometer Kazakhstan-China natural gas pipeline started on Wednesday near Almaty in a ceremony attended by Sauat Mynbayev, Kazakh Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources.
Kazakhstan to build sulfur processing plants
(SRI) - Kazatomprom, the Kazakh national nuclear company, plans to build several sulfur processing plants in the republic, said an official at the Kazakh Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources.
Kazakhstan to join Baku-Supsa oil line
(UPI) - Kazakhstan wants to transport oil through the Baku-Supsa Pipeline running through Azerbaijan and Georgia to the Supsa terminal in the Black Sea.
Kazakhstan urges Chevron to store sulphur indoors
(Reuters) - Kazakhstan urged a Chevron-led oil venture to work out a way to lock up its vast open-air sulphur stocks in an indoor facility by 2010.
KazMunaiGas to buy stake in Kazakh oil firm
(Reuters) - Kazakh state oil firm KazMunaiGas said on Wednesday it would buy a controlling stake in local oil company MangistauMunaiGas (MMG).
Kashagan predicted to produce 3.3 mln. tonnes of sulphur a year (Kazinform)
mineral resources:
ArcelorMittal spends US$262 million to improve Kazakhstan mine safety (AP - IHT)
Kazakhmys holders approved ENRC stake buy (Dow Jones - Morningstar)
business and economy:
Recessionary trends still continue in the Kazakh banking sector
(Interfax) - Ekaterina Trofimova, a credit analyst of Standard & Poor’s international rating agency, says that the situation in Kazakhstan is not changing to the better and may even aggravate.
Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan reach water agreement, discuss new gas deal
(Turkish Weekly) - An important agreement covering the release of water on the Syrdarya River has been reached.
Kazakhstan Temir Zholy JSC summed up half year results
(Kazinform) - “Income for the first six months of 2008 was KZT 208.6 bln which is 16% higher than the last year. Cargo turnover for the first half-year has increased 10.2%.”
Fitch affirms BTA Bank’s ratings; highlights downward pressure on individual rating (SRI)
Fitch affirmed Kazkommertsbank’s ratings at ‘BB+’ downward pressure on ‘C/D’ individual rating (SRI)
Housing prices in Kazakhstan down in June (SRI)
Developers plan $1.5 Billion resort casino for Kazakhstan (SRI)
Kazakhstan will supply wheat to Kyrgyzstan despite the export ban (AgriMarket.info)
National Bank of Kazakhstan: Exchange rates July 10, 2008 (Kazinform)
Indicators - July 9, 2008 (Reuters)
politics:
Nazarbayev hints that democratization will take back seat on OSCE agenda
(EurasiaNet) - President Nursultan Nazarbayev has given a preview of how Kazakhstan will approach its chairmanship of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe in 2010, and the future does not look pretty for the organization’s democratization component.
Nobel Prize for alleged human rights offender?
(ABC News) - Controversial President of Kazakhstan is backed for Nobel by US lawmakers.
comment:
Kazakhstan could help to tackle global food crisis (Financial Times)
Kazakhstan Business and Economy Roundup - July 10, 2008
Recessionary trends still continue in the Kazakh banking sector
(Interfax) - Ekaterina Trofimova, a credit analyst of Standard & Poor’s international rating agency, says that the situation in Kazakhstan is not changing to the better and may even aggravate.
Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan reach water agreement, discuss new gas deal
(Turkish Weekly) - An important agreement covering the release of water on the Syrdarya River has been reached.
Kazakhstan Temir Zholy JSC summed up half year results
(Kazinform) - “Income for the first six months of 2008 was KZT 208.6 bln which is 16% higher than the last year. Cargo turnover for the first half-year has increased 10.2%.”
Fitch affirms BTA Bank’s ratings; highlights downward pressure on individual rating (SRI)
Fitch affirmed Kazkommertsbank’s ratings at ‘BB+’ downward pressure on ‘C/D’ individual rating (SRI)
Housing prices in Kazakhstan down in June (SRI)
Developers plan $1.5 Billion resort casino for Kazakhstan (SRI)
Kazakhstan will supply wheat to Kyrgyzstan despite the export ban (AgriMarket.info)
National Bank of Kazakhstan: Exchange rates July 10, 2008 (Kazinform)
Indicators - July 9, 2008 (Reuters)
