Kazakhstan counts on revenues from transportation of Russian gas to Uzbekistan in 2023 - minister

ALMATY. Aug 15 (Interfax) - Revenues from the transit of Russian gas to Uzbekistan through Kazakhstan will be available to invest in gas pipeline infrastructure in 2023, Kazakh Energy Minister Almasadam Satkaliyev said.

"It's premature to name the exact sum, as it depends on the transit volume. As soon as the oil transportation estimates are confirmed, we will know how much QazaqGaz will receive, for instance. But the revenues will be available this year," Satkaliyev told journalists on the sidelines of the government meeting on Tuesday.

The gas transportation will provide additional revenues that will finance the upgrade of the Kazakh gas pipeline system.

"We will have the opportunity to modernize our gas pipeline system. These additional transit revenues will reduce the burden on QazaqGaz and provide a relatively stable cash flow for repairs and investment program," the minister said.

"A volume of 1.5 to 10 billion cubic meters of gas" is currently being discussed. "The capacity of the Uzbek energy system and the commitment of our Russian colleagues will show how much volume will be pumped," he said.

Russia's Gazprom and Kazakhstan's QazaqGaz signed a contract on the transport of Russian natural gas to Uzbekistan during the St. Petersburg Economic Forum in June.

In addition, Uzbekistan signed an agreement with Russia's Gazprom Export to buy 9 million cubic meters of gas per day starting on October 1, or nearly 2.8 billion cubic meters per year over a period of two years. It said an approved road map provided for the construction of new gas metering stations on Uzbekistan's territory for gas supplies in reverse mode for transit through Kazakhstan via the Central Asia-Center pipeline.