Kazakhstan Increases Gas Production, Approves Hydrogen Strategy

Gas production in Kazakhstan should reach 60.5 billion cubic meters in 2024. The country produced a total of 59 billion cubic meters of gas in 2023. According to the Ministry of Energy of this largest of the five former Soviet republics in Central Asia, domestic gas consumption in 2024 will amount to 20.9 billion cubic meters, which gives Kazakhstan a good chance to increase exports of this ecological fuel. Three major gas fields account for 85% of Kazakhstan’s gas production: Tengiz (27%), Karachaganak (38%), and Kashagan with 20%.

In order to achieve carbon neutrality, the government of Kazakhstan has approved a strategy for the development of hydrogen energy, the objectives of which have been extended until 2040. At the moment, the energy production of the Central Asian republic is based on the extraction of fossil coal (48.2%), natural gas (26.4%), and oil (23.5%). So far, green energy production does not exceed 1.9% of the total. During the energy transition, Kazakhstan intends to accelerate the development of “more environmentally sustainable” technologies to stay true to “international commitments to protect the environment and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.” Hydrogen production is part of the country’s strategic plan to ensure energy security and reduce the negative impact on the natural environment. “Hydrogen production using various fossil fuels, including renewable energy sources, is a promising direction for reducing carbon dioxide emissions and developing new technologies,” the Kazakh government representative emphasized.