Kazakhstan shall increase oil exports to China more than two times, Chinese experts believe

Almaty. January 20. Silkroadnews - Kazakhstan shall increase its oil exports to China from the current volume of 4.5-5 million tons per year up to 10-13 million tons as a minimum. It was stated by a leading researcher of the Center for International Energy Strategy at the People’s University of China Wang Haiyan.
“The oil pipeline from Kazakhstan to China was built in 2006. The scope of supply last year made about 11 million tons (Kazakhstani and Russian oil through the Kazakhstani-Chinese oil pipeline to China - Silkroadnews). Why 11? There is a volume of about 7 million transit from Russia to China through the pipeline. While the volume from Kazakhstan is actually reduced”, he said at the international conference “One belt - one road: the modern foreign policy of China” held in Astana on Wednesday.
According to him Kazakhstan shall increase the supply of oil to China up to 10-13 million tons per year.
“Of course we would like to have higher volume of delivery from Kazakhstan, since, as I have shown, starting from 2014 the volume of oil supplies from Kazakhstan is only 4-5 million tons per year, while the oil pipeline from Atyrau to China has already been built with capacity of 20 million tons per year. And, according the objectives set by Mr. President Nazarbayev to get this pipeline loaded completely and increase the supply volume up to 20 million tons a year, we would like Kazakhstan to deliver to China, e.g., at least 10-13 million tons per year. Since with pipeline capacity of 20 million tons of oil and Russia providing us with 7 million, there is still a large capacity remained unused”, he explained.
Later he said KazTAG that along with the growth of oil supplies from Kazakhstan there might be another branch of the Kazakhstani-Chinese oil pipeline built.
“In fact we discussed this possibility (the supply of oil from the Kashagan field on the Kazakhstani-China oil pipeline - Silkroadnews) for the future, but for now the main issue is to fill the current pipeline, while in the future with the production renewal at Kashagan, if the volume of production there will be 50 million tons per year, free volume, indeed, will be discussed along with possibility of building the second branch of the pipeline. It can become possible in the future (building the second line of the Kazakhstani-China oil pipeline - Silkroadnews)”, he said.
“It is possible within 2023-2024, within 10 years (building the second line of the Kazakhstani-China oil pipeline - Silkroadnews) ... Now only 5 million tons - even less (about China’s share in the Kashagan project with mining of 50 million tons per year - Silkroadnews)”, - the expert added.
According to the State Revenue Committee of the Finance Ministry, in January-November 2015 Kazakhstan exported to China 4.6 million tons of oil ($1.9 billion), which is 23.7% less in volume and 59.9% less in value to compare with the same period of 2014. For comparison, in January-November 2013 Kazakhstan exported to China 10.394 million tons ($8.099 billion), which was +13.2% in volume and +7.4% in value compared to the same period of 2012.