BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 22.
Construction of trunk pipelines to deliver ethane and propane from
the Tengiz field to gas chemical plants in Karabatan has started in
Kazakhstan’s Atyrau region, according to KazMunayGas (KMG).


The project, “Construction of trunk pipelines (ethane,
propane) in a single corridor in the Atyrau region,” is being
implemented by KMG PetroChem LLP, a subsidiary of KazMunayGas.


The pipelines will ensure reliable, safe and
uninterrupted transportation of liquefied ethane and propane from
the gas separation complex at the Tengiz field to gas chemical
plants producing polyethylene and polypropylene in the Karabatan
special economic zone, the National Industrial Petrochemical
Technopark (NIPT). Together, these facilities will form the basis
for deep processing of hydrocarbons and production of high
value-added products.


These will be the first ethane and propane trunk
pipelines in Kazakhstan. Each will be about 210 kilometers long.
The ethane pipeline will have a capacity of 1.6 million tons per
year, and the propane pipeline 1.1 million tons per year.


Earlier, Kazakhstan approved the first technical
regulation in the CIS for trunk ethane and propane pipelines,
developed with the project’s specifics in mind.


During the project, special attention will be paid to
increasing the share of Kazakh content by engaging domestic
suppliers of equipment and materials, contractors and service
companies, as well as qualified personnel. This will open
additional opportunities for local business and production
cooperation.







Production of pipes for the propane pipeline has
already begun. The project provides for seamless carbon and alloy
steel pipes that meet requirements for operation at low
temperatures.


To ensure safety, line valve units with automated
shut-off valves are planned every 5–10 kilometers, along with a
leak detection system and gas analyzers.


The project is also expected to have a significant
socio-economic effect. Up to 1,300 jobs are planned at the peak of
construction, with priority given to residents of the Atyrau
region. This is stipulated by a trilateral memorandum of
cooperation signed by the Atyrau Region Department of Employment
Coordination and Social Programs, KMG PetroChem LLP and the
contractor, CPPE (Kazakhstan) LLP. About 170 permanent jobs will be
created during the operation of the pipelines.


The facilities are scheduled to be commissioned by the
end of 2028. The new infrastructure will form the basis for stable
operation of petrochemical and gas chemical plants and further
development of the industry as a whole.


KMG PetroChem LLP is implementing the project in
partnership with an international consortium led by China Petroleum
Pipeline Engineering Co., Ltd., with the participation of CITIC
Construction Co., Ltd. and CPPE (Kazakhstan) LLP.