Page 21 - FSUOGM Week 09 2023

FSUOGM NEWS IN BRIEF FSUOGM

In addition to supplying China, the northwest coast of Kazakhstan along the foreign investment.
envisaged pipeline could also serve regions Caspian Sea to the Novorossiysk port in "Lots of discussions on security have
within the Central Asian country, which Russia. It transports 80% of Kazakhstan's taken place in cabinet meetings also,
frequently experiences power shortages crude oil exports. Tengizchevroil (TCO), commissions have been established and ...
despite having abundant resources. the operator of the Tengiz oilfield, is the hiding places [of militants] have been
A spokesperson for Kazakhstan's 50%-owned by US-based Chevron and is destroyed," he was quoted as saying, adding:
national gas company, QazaqGaz, informed the world's deepest producing supergiant oil "The Islamic Emirate [run by the Taliban
AFP that the country has proposed that field and the largest single-trap producing government] will ensure security and will
Gazprom explore new transit routes for reservoir in existence. support the private sector in the security
Russian gas to China, while also taking field."
into account the gas supply needs of the Mining and power projects, a possible
domestic market. No further information Taliban announce investment project to construct a second tunnel
was disclosed. through the Salang pass that connects
consortium with Russian, Afghanistan's north to the rest of the
country, a project to divert water from
CPC halts crude oil shipments Iranian and Pakistani northern Panjshir province to Kabul and the
re-building of the main highway connecting
from Kazakhstan’s Tengiz oil companies Kabul to western Herat province were on
the consortium’s agenda, Azizi was reported
field due to ‘weather conditions’ Afghanistan's Taliban-led administration as saying.
The minister also told the news agency
has formed a consortium of companies,
The Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) including some from Russia, Iran and that Russian oil, gas and wheat shipments
on February 22 stopped accepting crude Pakistan, to establish an investment plan had begun arriving in Afghanistan by road
oil from the Tengiz field in Kazakhstan due concentrated on power, mining and and rail via Central Asia, with payments
to an excess of stock at the Novorossiysk infrastructure, according to its acting conducted through banking channels
terminal on Russia's Black Sea coast commerce minister Nooruddin Azizi. despite sanctions that have limited many
caused by adverse weather conditions that Azizi told Reuters on February 23 that international payments related to the
suspended oil lifting on February 18-19, the consortium has signed a memorandum Taliban.
Reuters reported. of understanding with the foreign
According to an announcement made companies who are to send delegates to
by the CPC on February 21, oil lifting from Kabul to assess projects worth up to $1bn. Azerbaijan imported 1 bcm of
the CPC Marine Terminal was halted due The consortium includes 14 Afghan
to harsh weather conditions such as strong businessmen and the Afghan commerce gas in 2022
winds and high waves. As of now, the storm ministry.
restrictions set by the harbour master Afghanistan has remained stuck on the Declared gas imports to Azerbaijan in 2022
of Novorossiysk port have not yet been edge of an economic and humanitarian amounted to 1.016 bcm, which is 2 times
lifted, and the weather forecast remained catastrophe since the US and other foreign higher y/y. The cost of gas imported to
unfavourable, Reuters said. CPC stated that powers withdrew from the country in Azerbaijan in 2022 amounted to $130.6mn
their tank farm located at the CPC Marine August 2021 and the Taliban militant (an increase of 670%).
Terminal was almost at full capacity. fundamentalists took over. International In the structure of gas imports to
The news echoes similar obstacles to development funding to Afghanistan has Azerbaijan in the reporting period, 84.3%
exports of Kazakh oil that occurred last been cut and sanctions have been applied accounted for supplies from Turkmenistan
year, which many observers believe could to its banking sector. Investors are also - 857 mcm in the amount of $110.8mn.
have been driven by Russia’s attempts to worried that the Taliban administration, Imports from Russia amounted to 93.2
maximise its counter-sanctions efforts which has so far won no recognition from mcm for $17.2mn, and from Iran 66mcm
against the West rather than by an actual other countries, could lose control of parts for $2.5mn. Russian gas imports fell in
chain of coincidental troubles at the CPC of Afghanistan to various terrorist groups December 2022. Earlier in 2021, all gas
that began right after Russia’s invasion of that are opposed to it. imports to Azerbaijan came from Iran.
Ukraine. Disruptions to the CPC pipeline’s Azizi told Reuters that the Since January 2022, Iran has
activity - the main export route for Kazakh administration was intent on launching begun transporting gas received from
crude to the West - were attributed to several long-term business plans including Turkmenistan to Azerbaijan in accordance
weather conditions and emergency repair those of the consortium and special with a trilateral swap agreement. In general,
works, among other explanations. economic zones, centred on former foreign the agreement provides for the supply to
The CPC pipeline stretches from the military bases that he hoped would attract Azerbaijan through Iran of up to 1.5-2

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