Zhanaozen-Zhetybay-Aktau Gas Pipeline

This article is part of the Global Fossil Infrastructure Tracker, a project of Global Energy Monitor.

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Zhanaozen-Zhetybay-Aktau Gas Pipeline (Russian: Жанаозен-Жетыбай-Актау, Kazakh: Жанаөзен-Жетібай-Ақтау), also referred to as Uzen-Zhetybay-Aktau Gas Pipeline (Russian: Узень-Жетыбай-Актау, Kazakh: Өзен-Жетібай-Ақтау), is an operating pipeline in Kazakhstan.

Location

The pipeline runs from Kazakh Gas Refinery, near Zhanaozen, to Aktau, Mangystau Region, Kazakhstan.

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Zhetybay-Kuryk Branch Gas Pipeline

The pipeline runs from Zhanaozen to Kuryk, Mangystau Region, Kazakhstan.

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Project details

Zhanaozen-Zhetybay-Aktau I

• Operator: KazTransGaz Aimak
• Owner: QazaqGaz
• Parent company: Samruk-Kazyna SWF JSC
• Capacity: 4.54 bcm/year (total for the pipeline)
• Length: 149.1 km
• Diameter: 720 mm
• Status: Operating
• Start year: 1974
• Cost:
• Financing:
• Associated infrastructure: Zhanaozen Oil & Gas field, Okarem-Beyneu Gas Pipeline

Kaz GPP-KS - Zhanaozen II

• Operator: KazTransGaz Aimak
• Owner: QazaqGaz
• Parent company: Samruk-Kazyna SWF JSC
• Capacity: 4.54 bcm/year (total for the pipeline)
• Length: 17.8 km
• Diameter: 720 mm
• Status: Operating
• Start year: 1974
• Cost:
• Financing:
• Associated infrastructure: Zhanaozen Oil & Gas field, Okarem-Beyneu Gas Pipeline

Zhanaozen-Zhetybay III

• Operator: KazTransGaz Aimak
• Owner: QazaqGaz
• Parent company: Samruk-Kazyna SWF JSC
• Capacity: 4.54 bcm/year (total for the pipeline)
• Length: 60.7 km
• Diameter: 530 mm
• Status: Operating
• Start year: 2008
• Cost: USD 30 million
• Financing: Development Bank of Kazakhstan JSC
• Associated infrastructure: Zhanaozen Oil & Gas field, Okarem-Beyneu Gas Pipeline

Zhetybay-Aktau III

• Operator: KazTransGaz Aimak
• Owner: QazaqGaz
• Parent company: Samruk-Kazyna SWF JSC
• Capacity: 4.54 bcm/year (total for the pipeline)
• Length: 70.8 km
• Diameter: 529 mm
• Status: Operating
• Start year: 1968
• Cost:
• Financing:
• Associated infrastructure: Zhetybay oil field, Ozen Gas and Oil Field, Okarem-Beyneu Gas Pipeline

Zhetybay-Kuryk Branch Gas Pipeline

• Operator: KazTransGaz Aimak
• Owner: QazaqGaz
• Parent company: Samruk-Kazyna SWF JSC
• Capacity: 3.6 bcm/year
• Length: 85 km
• Diameter: 530 mm
• Status: Operating
• Start year: 2021
• Cost:
• Financing:
• Associated infrastructure: Zhanaozen Oil & Gas field, Okarem-Beyneu Gas Pipeline

Zhanaozen-Zhetybay-Aktau IV

• Operator: KazTransGaz Aimak
• Owner: QazaqGaz
• Parent company: Samruk-Kazyna SWF JSC
• Capacity:
• Length:
• Diameter:
• Status: Proposed
• Start year: 2023
• Cost: KZT 31,600,000,000
• Financing:
• Associated infrastructure: Zhanaozen Oil & Gas field, Okarem-Beyneu Gas Pipeline

Background

The pipeline includes three parallel segments and a branch pipeline to Kuryk, which provides consumers with gas in the Sarsha area and the Toplyy Plyazh Resort area of the Mangistau Region. The pipeline connects to the Okarem-Beyneu Gas Pipeline in Zhanaozen, Mangistau Region, Kazakhstan. In 2023, the pipeline has been undergoing a major upgrade included in the Comprehensive Plan for Development of the Mangystau Region of Kazakhstan for 2021-2025. The project was expected to be complete in September 2023.

Construction of the fourth parallel segment of the pipeline - Zhanaozen-Zhetybau-Aktau IV - is planned to commence in 2023. The pipeline will be connected to the Okarem-Beyneu Gas Pipeline. In August 2024, the construction of the new segment was mentioned again by the government of Kazakhstan without any further updates.

Environmental and social impacts

The pipeline sources gas from the Ozen Gas and Oil Field, the workers of which reside in a small town Zhanaozen. The town's economic development hinges on low-paid jobs from oil & gas industry, with high environmental risks and low social welfare. Consequently, Zhanaozen has been a hotspot for protests in 2011 and 2022 that shaked the political and economic systems of Kazakhstan.

The oil leaks, abandoned oil extraction devices, tailing ponds, and industrial lake are observed in the vicinity of Zhetybay and Zhanaozen oil and gas fields.