2000-01-10 Kazak Politics & MacroEconomics

Article Index

Kazakhstan Weekly

Politics & Macro Economics

Monday January 10, 2000

PM Confirms The 2000 Privatisation Programme

The government of Kazakhstan will continue to implement the privatisation programme in 2000.  “Neither a roll-back, nor a slowing down in the pace of privatisation can be allowed,” Kazakh Prime Minister Kasymzhomart Tokayev told the cabinet at its first meeting this year on Tuesday. He confirmed that the privatisation of state property will be continued this year and that the blue chips programme will be implemented. He said that Kazakhstan is expected to gain over USD400 million from privatisation in 2000.

The blue-chip government programme for privatisation intended for the period until the end of 2000 includes the privatisation of the Aktubemunaigaz and Mangistaumunaigaz oil companies, Kazakhmys (Kazakhstan’s largest copper producer), Kazakhstan Chromium, Kazakhstan Zinc, the Ust-Kamenogorsk titanium and magnesium plant, the Sokolovsko-Sarbaiskoye mining plant, and the Kazakhstan Aluminium co. (Interfax, Bloomberg)

Kazakh Oil Producers Report 1999 Output

Kazakhstan produced 30,043,323 tonnes of oil and gas condensate in 1999, 0.8% above target and 15.8% more than in 1998. Gas production totalled 7,173 million cubic meters (1.1% below target and 30.4% more than in 1998). Subsidiaries of state oil company Kazakhoil produced 5,528,052 tonnes of oil and condensate (4.7% above and 3.8% more respectively).

Nine companies in which Kazakhoil owns a stake produced 10,274,838 tonnes of oil (2.4% below and 14.1% more), of which the lion’s share was produced at the Tengizchevroil joint venture - 9,575,553 tonnes (1.7% below and 13.2% more). Other oil producers in Kazakhstan extracted 14,240,433 tonnes (1.7% above and 22.7% more).

Gas production at Kazakhoil companies totalled 1,425.4 million cubic meters (2.8% below and 6.3% less). Companies with Kazakhoil participation extracted 1,617.5 million cubic meters (0.8% below and 1.7% more). Other organisations produced 4,130.0 million cubic meters (0.6% below and 72.8% more), of which the Karachaganak field yielded 3,603.3 million cubic meters (0.4% below and 55.4% more).

In December 1999 Kazakhstan produced 2,674,045 tonnes of oil and condensate (2.3% above target) and 708.806 million cubic meters of gas (1.6% below). (Interfax, Bloomberg)