The Russian government considers alternative routes for its gas pipeline. Thus, an opportunity to build the gas pipeline to China through Kazakhstan was discussed by officials. All major and potential buyers of Russian gas are at a distance, so it always has to deal with transit countries. To supply Europe, Russia needs Ukraine. To export gas to China, Kazakhstan is needed to be negotiated with.
“Our president and prime minister took the initiative to consider with Russia the possibility to build the gas pipeline from Russia to China via Kazakhstan. There is one gas pipeline already, the second one was planned to be constructed through the Altai Mountains directly to China. Our prime minister announced a proposal to build it through Kazakhstan, particularly through Astana and Khorgos or Alashankou to China”, said Kazakhstan’s Deputy Minister of Energy Uzakbai Karabalin. He added that Russia expressed some interest in the proposal.
It is also noteworthy that Gazprom and KazMunaiGas established a joint venture TOO KazRosGas on a parity basis in Kazakhstan in 2002. The company buys and processes gas at Russian plants. Moreover, Russia and Kazakhstan signed an intergovernmental agreement on joint geological study and exploration of the cross-border Imashevsk condensate field in 2010. A year later, Gazprom and KazMunaiGas signed an agreement under which KazRosGas became the operator of the Imashevsk field.