India, Kazakhstan to conduct a study to transport crude oil & gas

Source: PIB, Government of India

The Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas (Independent Charge), Dharmendra Pradhan and the Minister of Energy of Republic of Kazakhstan, Vladimir Shkolnik signed the protocol at the 12th India-Kazakhstan, Inter-Governmental Commission meeting, in New Delhi on June 17, 2015. Source: PIB, Government of India

  India and Kazakhstan have agreed to conduct a feasibility study on transportation of crude oil and gas from Kazakhstan to India via pipeline or as LNG, said Minister of State (I/C) for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan at the 12th India-Kazakhstan, Inter Governmental Commission meeting, which he co-chaired with Vladimir Shkolnik, Minister of Energy of Republic of Kazakhstan. The meeting also discussed issues pertaining to Economic, Scientific, Technical Industrial and Cultural Cooperation between India and Kazakhstan. The Minister said that cooperation in the energy sector was a major focus of deliberations and added ONGC Videsh is working in collaboration with the state energy company of Kazakhstan KazMunaiGaz on the Satpayev block. There has been satisfactory progress on this project. "We expect exploratory drilling to commence early next month. Both sides are keen to expand our cooperation in the area of hydrocarbons. Various proposals are currently under discussions between the two sides.""We also reviewed developments in trade and investment. It was decided that we would work together within the framework of the Joint Study group to consider the feasibility of a comprehensive economic partnership agreement between India and the Eurasian Economic Union, of which Kazakhstan is a member," the minister said. He also added that the meeting discussed a range of mutual investment proposals. "The Kazakh Minister for Investment and Development has just concluded his visit to India during which he interacted with various Ministers as well as public and private sector companies." "We had very useful discussions on transport and logistics linkages. India and Kazakhstan have decided to establish a Joint Working Group on connectivity which would look at all aspects of this issue. With the opening of the rail link between Iran-Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan, we will explore the possibility of this route being developed as a linked corridor to the International North South Transport Corridor (INSTC)," he added. Cooperation initiatives in various other sectors such as including Health, Pharmaceuticals, Agriculture, Tourism, Civil Aviation, Mining, Textiles as well as Sports were also discussed.