According to the Ministry of Energy of Kazakhstan, the expansion of the Karachaganak crude oil project, to be started in 2017, will require a total investment of US$12bn. The expansion project is aimed at installing additional gas handling capacity to maximise utilisation of liquid stabilisation trains as the field’s gas-oil ratio increases. The project should maintain production levels (142 mboe in 2014).
The Karachaganak giant field holds 12 Gbl of condensate and 57 Tcf (1,600 bcm) of gas and around 11% of the hydrocarbons initially in place (HIIP) has been recovered to date. The field's operator, the international consortium Karachaganak Petroleum Operating (KPO), has renounced to develop the third phase of the Karachaganak giant oil and gas field. KPO is a joint company of BG Group (29.25%), Eni (29.25%), Chevron (18%), Lukoil (13.5%) and KazMunaiGas (10%).
In addition, the construction of the Beineu-Bozoi-Shymkent gas pipeline is expected to be completed soon. The pipeline will transport up to 10 bcm/year of gas as of 2017.