Page 14 - FSUOGM Week 20 2022

FSUOGM POLICY FSUOGM

Oil workers from restive Kazakh town

arrive in capital to make demands

KAZAKHSTAN AROUND two dozen workers from Kezbi oil attempted - unsuccessfully - to discuss their
company, a subsidiary of the OzenMunaiGas demands with officials at the Energy Ministry,
Strikes have been giant, which operates in Kazakhstan's restive the Prosecutor-General's Office and state energy
continuing since southwestern town of Zhanaozen, descended operator KazMunaiGas.
mid-April. upon the Kazakh capital, Nur-Sultan, to demand The oil workers added that, if their demands
salary increases and improved work conditions, were not met, hundreds more who have been
RFE/RL reported on May 12. striking in Zhanaozen since April 18 will come
The workers told the media outlet that they to the capital to voice their demands.
spent the previous night at the entrance of Kazakhstan’s chief labour inspector, Tolegen
the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection Ospankulov, told RFE/RL that the oil workers'
demanding talks with ministry officials. demands were currently under consideration
One worker, Berik Zhylkedliev, reportedly and they would be invited to KazMunaiGas
said that the group arrived 11 days ago and headquarters’ "very soon." ™

PROJECTS & COMPANIES

Turkmenistan announces expansion

at Kiyanly gas chemicals complex

TURKMENISTAN TURKMENISTAN’S new president, Serdar The $3.4bn Kiyanly complex was opened in
Berdimuhamedov, has issued a resolution October 2018 as the largest gas chemical facility
Turkmenistan has calling for an expansion in the capacity of the in the region, capable of processing 5bn cubic
completed several other Kiyanly gas chemicals complex in the west of metres of gas per year. This gas is produced off-
gas-based downstream the country. shore in the Caspian Sea at Block 1, operated by
projects in recent years. Under the resolution, the facility’s operator Malaysia’s Petronas.
Turkmengaz will build a grassroots unit for pro- The complex uses Toyo Engineering’s Core-
ducing isobutane at the complex, Turkmengaz flux technology and BASF’s Oase technology to
said in an official government release on May produce 386,000 tonnes per year of polyethylene
12. Using butane feedstock from natural gas, the and 81,000 tpy of polypropylene. The remaining
unit will produce high-octane isobutane that can 4.5 bcm of marketable gas is supplied via the
be in turn used as a fuel-blending component at country’s grid for commercial use.
oil refineries, as well as a refrigerant to reduce Authorities reported that the complex
energy consumption in modern refrigerators, reached its full capacity in the first half of 2022.
Turkmengaz said. In addition, it can be used as a In July last year, Turkmenistan’s government said
filler in aerosol cans and gas lighters. the complex would be one of two petrochemical
Neither Turkmengaz nor the Turkmen gov- hubs where operatorship would be transferred
ernment offered any further specifics about the from Turkmengaz to fellow state-owned com-
project’s scope, including the planned unit’s pany Turkmenhimiya.
capacity or its launch target. But authorities said Turkmenistan has completed several other
its construction would enable the Kiyanly facility gas-based downstream projects in recent years,
to increase the range of high-value products it including a gas-to-gasoline plant that entered
can make from hydrocarbon feedstock. operations in June last year. ™

P14 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 20 18•May•2022