OREANDA-NEWS. September 28, 2009. Kazakhstan’s Prime Minister Karim Massimov addressed the attendees with a welcoming speech.

The Palace of Independence in Astana hosted today the opening of the IV Eurasian Energy Forum.

Kazakhstan’s Prime Minister Karim Massimov addressed the attendees with a welcoming speech. He highlighted successes of Kazakhstan in the O&G sector and emphasized that Kazakhstan had proved itself as a reliable supplier of hydrocarbons to the global markets.

“The Government of Kazakhstan has been consistently developing private-public partnership in the O&G sector. We have been gradually diversifying transport routes. Here I would like to point out works to modernize the Central Asia – Center gas transportation system, Atyrau-Samara oil pipeline. Infrastructure of such fundamental routes as BTC and the main line running to China has been enhanced. At the same time works are under way to improve operations of Aktau and Kuryk Caspean Sea ports to boost oil shipments from Kazakhstan”, K. Massimov said.

The Prime Minister also pointed to the efforts taken by Kazakhstan in the realm of climate change. Kazakhstan has been increasingly aware of environmental issues when extracting hydrocarbons. “Kazakhstan has joined the Kyoto Protocol. This year the country will attend the Copenhagen Forum…Kazakhstan has been taking concrete steps to develop alternative energy sources. In July we adopted a law to support renewable energy sources. It puts in place the required legal framework to progress in this direction”, the Prime Minister said.

“Kazakhstan can become a key player at the global nuclear markets”, said Kazakhstan’s Energy Minister Sauat Mynbayev at the opening of the Forum. “The unanimous agreement is that nuclear industry is the only way to meet growing demand for energy. According to some estimates, the number of nuclear reactors is to increase nearly threefold by 2050. Kazakhstan will not stay away from the global trends.

With its vast natural uranium resources and production of nuclear fuel components, Kazakhstan can be a key player at the global nuclear markets”, S. Mynbayev said.

The Minister reminded that Kazakhstan is second in terms of natural uranium resources, with most effective method of in-situ leaching being employed.