Kazakhstan plans to use associated petroleum gas to generate electricity directly at oil fields, with the electricity produced then used for digital mining, Gizzat Baitursynov, Deputy Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development, has announced.
According to him, miners will be able to install autonomous power plants directly at oil fields in agreement with subsoil users, Caliber.Az reports, citing Kazakh media.
The relevant mechanism has already been developed jointly with the Ministry of Energy.
The ministry believes the initiative will make it possible to use an untapped resource, reduce gas flaring, attract investment and create new jobs. A similar approach is also being considered for coal mine methane.
The total planned capacity of strategic digital mining projects is 300 MW. The first 90 MW project was launched on 12 September.
By Bakhtiyar Abbasov
