President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev held talks by videoconference with the CEO of Chevron, Michael Wirth. During the meeting, the outlook for the interaction of Chevron with Kazakhstan, implementation of a number of projects in the hydrocarbon sector in the context of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the situation in the global energy market were discussed.
The President highly appreciated the cooperation with Chevron and its contribution to the development of the economy of Kazakhstan. The timely launch of the project to expand the production capacity of the Tengiz field by 2022, he emphasized, is important for Kazakhstan.
Countering the coronavirus pandemic was separately discussed, and Tokayev thanked Tengizchevroil for the highly coordinated work to prevent mass infection with coronavirus infection and stabilize the sanitary-epidemiological situation. He also thanked Michael Wirth for providing the Health Ministry of Kazakhstan with medical devices, medicines and protective equipment totaling $ 20 million, organizing the visit of foreign doctors and epidemiologists to the country, and financing the construction of an infectious diseases hospital with 200 beds in Kulsary. The importance of ensuring the share of local content in the implementation of projects at Tengiz was underscored. In this context, he supported creation of a local content Fund for the implementation of joint investment projects.
The President also touched upon development of the Karachaganak oil field, pointing out the need for timely implementation of this project and maintaining the production volume at the level of 10-11 million tons per year.
Michael Wirth, in turn called Kazakhstan a special country and a very important area in the company’s activities.
“We intend to continue our cooperation in the energy sector of Kazakhstan, in particular, in the Tengiz and Karachaganak fields. We know that Kazakhstan is a wonderful country with oil and gas resources, and are happy to be a constructive partner of your country in the implementation of various projects,” the Chevron CEO said.
Reported by the Kazakhstanskaya Pravda.
