BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 28. Kazakhstan's
national oil and gas company KazMunayGas (KMG), its subsidiary
KazMunayGas-Aero and Exolum Aviation, the aviation division of
international infrastructure group Exolum, have signed a tripartite
agreement on the main terms of strategic cooperation to develop
aviation fuel infrastructure in Kazakhstan, according to KMG.
The signing followed a meeting in Astana between KMG Chairman of
the Management Board Askhat Khassenov and Exolum Senior Vice
President for Aviation Ivan Muiño. The sides discussed prospects
for cooperation in developing aviation fuel infrastructure as part
of Kazakhstan's efforts to expand its transport, logistics and
transit potential.
The agreement provides for attracting international investment,
advanced technologies and industry expertise to develop aviation
fuel infrastructure at airports across Kazakhstan. For Exolum,
entering the Kazakh market will mark the first stage of expanding
its presence in the Eurasian region.
The parties are considering the construction of aviation
refueling complexes and specialized aviation fuel storage
facilities, as well as the modernization of existing
infrastructure.
The new and upgraded facilities will be designed to handle Jet
A-1 aviation fuel in line with Joint Inspection Group (JIG)
requirements for fuel quality, safety and operations.
KMG, in turn, will contribute its knowledge of the Kazakh
market, facilitate engagement with aviation industry stakeholders
and help develop prospective projects.
"Cooperation with one of the major international companies in
the industry will help accelerate technological modernization,
introduce advanced practices in fuel infrastructure management and
create conditions for further growth in international air
transportation through Kazakhstan. For KMG, as a national company,
the transfer of Exolum's experience and technologies to Kazakh
specialists, the development of local workforce expertise and the
introduction of modern approaches to operating fuel facilities are
also of particular importance," Khassenov said.
The parties will conduct a comprehensive economic analysis in
the near future. Based on its results, they will determine specific
projects, investment volumes, the allocation of responsibilities
and the stages of further cooperation.
Exolum is an international infrastructure group headquartered in
Madrid, specializing in the transportation and storage of petroleum
products and other bulk liquids. The group operates in 10 countries
across Europe and the Americas, managing pipelines with a total
length of approximately 6,000 kilometers and 68 terminals with a
combined capacity of more than 11 million cubic meters.
Exolum Aviation is the group's aviation division, specializing
in the design, construction, and operation of aviation refueling
complexes and centralized aircraft refueling systems. The company
serves aviation fuel infrastructure at 50 airports in Europe and
Latin America. Exolum Aviation is a member of JIG, which brings
together industry representatives to develop and implement
international aviation fuel quality and safety standards.
