Highlights from KIOGE 2013

KIOGE 2013, the 21st Kazakhstan International Oil and Gas Exhibition and Conference, took place in a special atmosphere this year – the start of oil production at the Kashagan field, and many projects about to be launched, in both production and processing, in Kazakhstan’s oil and gas industry.

The KIOGE exhibition was held in five pavilions of the Atakent Exhibition Centre, and the conference took place at the InterContinental Almaty hotel.

“The most pressing and relevant issues of the oil and gas industry – from exploration, production, transportation and oil refining to introducing innovative clean technologies – are always raised at KIOGE,” said Kuandyk Kulmurzin, Director of the Department of Oil Industry Development of the Ministry of Oil and Gas of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Mr Kulmurzin also noted the size of the exhibition and the status of those invited to speak at the conference. “Here, you can meet representatives of the scientific community, manufacturing companies, and also unions and associations. The oil and gas industry has been and remains one of the priority areas of Kazakhstan’s economy, which is why much discussion and many questions exist around it. I think that an event of the size and quality of KIOGE helps us in the search for ways to solve the most pressing problems,” he said.

“Our region’s significance for leading companies of the world in various sectors of the oil and gas industry and related industries is due to enormous hydrocarbon potential and the major oil and gas projects that Kazakhstan is implementing now and planning to carry out in future,” said Kurmangazy Iskaziev, Deputy CEO for geology and future projects of KazMunayGas, at the press conference dedicated to the opening of KIOGE 2013. “The start of commercial production operations at the Kashagan oil field, one of the largest in the world, has been announced this year, and I think that many of the industry’s technological achievements presented at the KIOGE exhibition can find use in the development of Kashagan.”

Mr Iskaziev also mentioned that KIOGE not only reflects the development of Kazakhstan’s oil and gas sector; it also shows the trajectory of international integration processes: “The work of the conference incorporated great potential to further deepen cooperation between Kazakhstan and foreign countries, and to fill it with new content.”

The KIOGE 2013 exhibition and conference was the largest international sector exhibition in Kazakhstan and Central Asia, with participation from global and local leaders of the oil and gas industry. 5,206 professionals visited the exhibition this year, and an audit of the exhibition’s statistical data show participation of 473 exhibiting companies, from 23 countries including Kazakhstan, the UK, Germany, Canada, China, the UAE, Russia, the USA, Ukraine and France.

Regular exhibitors appearing again at KIOGE 2013 included KazMunayGas and all its subsidiaries, China National Petroleum Corporation, Karachaganak Petroleum Operating, Maersk Oil, Schneider Electric, Byelkamit, Caspian Offshore Construction, Caspian Pipeline Consortium, Caspian Machine Building Plant, RussNeft, Tengizchevroil, TransNeft, Ust-Kamenogorsk Valve Plant and many others.

A longstanding trend of the exhibition is annual growth in the number of Kazakhstani exhibiting companies. This year is the first that they have become the leading country in terms of percentage of exhibitors, with 33%. Exhibition space has also grown thanks to increased outdoor exhibition, and six countries presented national stands – Germany, Italy, Kazakhstan, Canada, China and Russia (Nizhny Novgorod Region).

Making up 31% of all exhibitors, Russian companies were in second place. Vladimir Nefedov, Minister of Industry and Innovations of the country’s Nizhny Novgorod Region, was presenting a stand of his region, and he highly rated cooperation with Kazakhstan in the oil industry and the opportunities offered by taking part in KIOGE. “Taking part in the exhibition successfully demonstrates our competitive advantages. In the Nizhny Novgorod Region, it has become an important tradition to take part in such an important international event. We are doing so for the third time now, and our exhibitors are becoming more and more numerous.”

The Minister also underlined that the region’s government strongly intends to take part in the exhibition in the future as well. It needs to be mentioned that this region is one of the most industrially developed in Russia, with a very high share of oil and gas engineering in the production structure. The strong interest of such major regions in KIOGE is yet another important testament to its reputation.

The KIOGE conference took place on 2 and 3 October. Over 500 delegates took part in its eight sessions, including deputies of Kazakhstan’s parliament, government body representatives, international and local experts in industry and oil and gas, and service companies. 50 speakers delivered presentations.

One of KIOGE 2013’s landmark events was the signing of a memorandum of understanding on cooperation between Kazakhstan’s national company KazMunayGas and Schlumberger, sealed with the signatures of Kurmangazy Isekeshev and Gokhan Saygi, President of Schlumberger in Russia and Central Asia. It will be implemented in issues including assessing and optimising production at several KazMunayGas active fields (Botakhan, Karazhanbas, Kotyrtas North/Moldabek, Mokat East, Nurzhanov East/West (Prorva), and Kamyshitovoe Southwest), using advanced surveying methods, improving the quality of field operation, intensifying oil and gas production, and improving well decommissioning.

Notes

KIOGE was officially supported by the Ministry of Oil and Gas of the Republic of Kazakhstan, KazMunayGas, the Almaty Mayoral Administration, the Union of Oilfield Service Companies of Kazakhstan (Kazservice) and diplomatic missions of participating countries.

Official partners of KIOGE 2013: Schlumberger, Thomson Reuters, BG Kazakhstan, Maersk Oil, OMV, Tengizchevroil, AUMA, FLUOR, FMC Technologies, FEI, GMS Group, Grata Law Firm, OZNA, Ust-Kamenogorsk Valve Plant, Air Astana and the International Business Academy.

Since its launch, KIOGE has constantly followed its fundamental principles: giving the maximum possible reflection of oil and gas industry trends; focusing on new features, materials and products; maintaining its international status; and improving its information component with special events and round tables.

KIOGE 2013 was organised by Iteca and ITE Group.

Official website: www.kioge.com.