Kazakhstan mulling gas imports from Turkmenistan for the forthcoming heating season

In the Q4 2012 Kazakhstan will import 300 million cubic meters of gas from the neighboring Turkmenistan, the country’s Minister of Oil and Gas Sauat Mynbayev announced May 8. “Due to Uzbekistan’s restrictions on gas exports to Kazakhstan, November 9 there was a contract signed enabling Kazakhstan to import Turkmen gas (…) As of April 1, 2012 Kazakhstan has imported 738 million cubic meters. [Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan] have agreed on Turkmen gas supplies totaling another 300 million in the Q4 2012”, the Minister said. “KazTransGas is negotiating with Gazprom, China and Turkmenistan on Turkmen gas supplies to Kazakhstan throughout the heating season of 2012-2013”, Mr. Mynbayev said. In the heating season of 2011-2012 Almaty and Zhambyk oblasts in the South of Kazakhstan experienced gas shortages due to disrupted gas supplies from Uzbekistan.