The gas industry of Kazakhstan today is one of the most dynamically developing in the domestic economy. Gas production is growing, new gas processing capacities are being created, and a network of gas pipelines is developing. In his Address "Nurly Zhol – the way to the future" on November 11, 2014, the Head of State assessed the development of energy infrastructure: "A lot of work has been done in the energy sector over the past 5 years as part of the industrialization program."

The gas industry plays a key role in the economic and social well-being of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The country has the richest gas resources.

Kazakhstan ranks 22nd in the world and 3rd among the CIS countries after Russia and Turkmenistan in terms of gas reserves. The approved recoverable reserves amount to 3.8 trillion m3, including associated gas-2.2 trillion m3, free gas-1.6 trillion m3.

On November 4, 2014, the Government approved the General Scheme of gasification of the Republic of Kazakhstan for 2015-2030. This is a program document that defines economically justified strategic directions for ensuring reliable gas supply to consumers of the country. The legislative basis for the development of this document is the Law on Gas and Gas Supply and the relevant Rules approved by the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

The main strategic direction of the industry's development until 2030 should be the priority provision of domestic needs for commercial gas in the interests of the country's economic development.

According to the General Scheme, gasification of domestic consumers of the country is carried out at the expense of state funds, as well as investment programs of the group of companies of the National Operator of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the field of gas and gas supply of KazTransGas JSC (hereinafter – the National Operator).

In the period from 2010 to 2020, more than 1,300 gasification projects were implemented at the expense of the state budget, more than 18 thousand km of gas distribution networks were built in the regions.

In addition to budget funds, the gasification of the country is also carried out at the expense of the income of the National Operator as part of the implementation of investment programs. In 2010-2020, the National Operator carried out measures for the construction of more than 9.5 thousand km of gas distribution networks in various regions of the country.

The National Operator invested 1.1 trillion tenge in the expansion of main gas pipelines in the period from 2014 to 2020, as a result of which their length increased by 23% (from 15,609 to 19,146 km). A powerful Central Asian gas hub has been created in the republic. The country has become an important gas partner for the Russian Federation, the People's Republic of China (hereinafter – China), the Republic of Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and the Kyrgyz Republic.

In December 2019, as part of the instructions of the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan – Elbasy Nazarbayev N. A., announced in the address to the people of Kazakhstan "Five social initiatives", and the instructions of the Head of State Tokayev K. K., given as part of the election program " Well-being for all! Continuity. Justice. Progress " on the timely completion of the construction of the Saryarka main gas pipeline, the construction of the first stage of the Saryarka main gas pipeline along the Kyzylorda-Nur-Sultan route with a length of 1061.3 km has been completed and put into operation.

The first stage of the Saryarka gas pipeline, originating from the Kyzylorda region, made it possible to provide the capital, the central and part of the northern regions of the country with an environmentally friendly type of fuel, which is one of the historically significant events for the country since independence.

Thus, as of January 1, 2021, the level of gasification of the country's population reached 53.07%, or 9.8 million people had access to natural gas.

In 2010-2020, the volume of gas consumption in the domestic market increased by 91% from 9.0 billion rubles. up to 17.0 billion m3, which are supplied via the gas transportation system of the National Operator KazTransGas JSC.

Unofficial translation