Page 10 - FSUOGM Week 03 2022

FSUOGM POLICY FSUOGM

Kazakh energy industry sees

shake-up following unrest

KAZAKHSTAN THERE has been a shake-up at Kazakhstan’s The other dismissal is Kairat Sharibayev, the
state-owned energy companies in the wake of chairman of gas pipeline operator QazaqGaz,
Two of the president’s nationwide unrest earlier this month, resulting who is widely understood to be the husband of
son-in-laws have been in the removal of two figures related by marriage Nazarbayev’s eldest daughter Dariga, although
removed. to former president Nursultan Nazarbayev. this has never been officially confirmed.
A spike in LPG prices sparked the unrest, Sharibayev has led QazaqGaz, formerly
following years of mounting discontent over liv- known as Kaztransgaz, since November 2020.
ing standards in the country. But recent events He previously held senior roles associated with
are also perceived as a power struggle between gas transportation and marketing at national oil
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and company (NOC) KazMunayGas (KMG), the
his predecessor, who handed him the presidency parent of both KTO and QazaqGaz. While for-
in 2019. mally still a KMG unit, control of QazaqGaz was
Two figures with close ties to the former transferred to the sovereign wealth fund Sam-
ruler have now been removed. They are the ruk-Kazyna in March 2021.
general director of oil transmission operator Meanwhile Timur Kulibayev, husband of
Kaztransoil (KTO) Dimash Dosanov, which Nazarbayev’s middle daughter Dinara, has
has been at the company’s held in 2016, and is resigned as chairman of the National Chamber
the husband of Nazarbayev’s youngest daugh- of Entrepreneurs Atameken, which negotiates
ter Ailya. His replacement has not yet been on behalf of Kazakh businesses with the govern-
announced. ment. But he remains the head of the country’s
Dosanov previously held senior positions at main oil and gas association Kazenergy.
the Kazakhstan-China Pipeline joint venture, Nazarbayev himself has lost the position of
which delivers Kazakh oil to China. In 2010- chairman of Kazakhstan’s Security Council,
2014 he was also the deputy general manager of replaced by Tokayev. He took on this role after
the North Caspian Operating Co. (NCOC) con- giving up the presidency, and it was understood
sortium that manages the giant offshore Kasha- this would allow him to maintain his power over
gan field. the country. ™

P10 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 03 20•January•2022