Kumkol, one of the country’s largest oil fields with 25 years of commercial development history is located at the very heart of Sub-Aral Kyzyl-Kum. Today, it has all working and accommodation conditions for oilmen. It was a desert 25 years ago: no water, no green plants and no basic infrastructure. Developing the oil field in adverse climate backed by tremendous effort of oilmen is really epic.
In the year of the 20th anniversary of Kazakhstan Independence, Kumkol, having made the land of Kyzylorda the oil region and having become the model off partnership with the leading oil companies is celebrating the 25th development anniversary. The holiday events began with the regional children hospital. The hospital was given the medical equipment (USD 150K cost) by PetroKazakhstan.
“We have become the advanced hospital in an instant”, Kulyash Rysmukhamedova, the Medical Director, happily said, having received 16 types of advanced equipment items for children treatment and diagnosing. PetroKazakhstan contribution to the sacred duty is great”.
“The company sees how it important is to implement the social projects, Wei Yuxiang, JSC PetroKazakhstan President noted in his speech. The example can be social projects supported by the company in regions of operations. These are investments into educational, recreational and sports projects. Additionally, the company annually signs the memorandum for the region social and economic development with Kyzylorda Oblast Akimat”.
Chronologists and specialists unanimously say that Kumkol development was the turning point in the oblast development. It became the largest oil producing region from agricultural one. The oil field was discovered in 1984 and oil was extracted two years later. Today, the oblast budget is 80 percent oil industry funds. For twenty five years, approximately 25 new oil fields have been discovered and most of them are successfully developed.
The formal meeting dedicated to the 25th Kumkol anniversary was shared by the company shareholders and partners. The best workers were rewarded with thank you letters from Oil and Gas Ministry, NC KazMunaiGas and Құмкөл кен орнына 25 жыл anniversary medals. One of the most interesting moments was Kumkol Black Gold actuality film. However, 25 years of Kumkol album with unique archive and today’s photos and veterans’ memories issued to the anniversary date was the most appreciated gift for oilmen. The film and the photo album can be called the memory box of persons taken part at the oil field epic development. Sequence of oil and gas region development events was displayed in multicolor photos.
Today, Kumkol oil field is well established. Kumkol main oil transfer station site is functionally divided into three zones: operations, administrative and the emergency response service. The oil deposit has completed installation two gas turbine units as a part of the forced industrial and innovative development. For the last five years, the company has implemented several large projects for associated gas collection, transportation and back-injection. The gas is also disposed of supplying power and used for operations e.g. for heaters and gas generators (oil treatment units). The associated gas utilization program solves several environmental issues: no more gas flaring and emissions, smaller oil spills and soil contamination, and not least for oilmen, more fire safety. The associated gas utilization facilities may not be behind development of the oil field main infrastructure. It will allow decreasing the associated gas utilization cost for less profitable fields. In the last year, new deposits of Kumkol field were discovered showing one more successful year for resource stock development. Actually, PetroKazakhstan has the right to be proud of achievements and Kumkol silver anniversary improving operation methods, implementing new technologies successfully increasing production is self-explanatory.
By the way, there are three reasons why oilmen of Kazakhstan may treat this year as anniversary. They are 100th anniversary of Dossor oil field, 50 years of Mangyshlak oil and 25th Kumkol anniversary. Kumkol oil is highly appreciated in the world market and the oil field itself has become the regional industrial development attribute.
In the formal meeting, Bolatbek Kuandykov, the Oblast Akim, read the congratulation letter from Nursultan Nazarbayev, the Kazakhstan President. It was note the highest contribution of oil companies into the social and economic development of the country. Contributions of Kumkol veterans was highest appreciation especially Murat Salamatov, the oil field trailblazer, who brought up several generations of dedicated professionals. The region has more than twenty operating oil companies and eight of them produce oil. Their contribution into the social welfare, the regional economy, health care, culture and sports is invaluable.
Thanks to contributions of oil companies including PetroKazakhstan Kumkol Resources, the advanced tennis center was built in the oblast, the sports and play grounds are being built in urban backyards, the central square is repaired and the Ice Palace is being constructed. Invaluable assistance of oilmen is provided also to the Great Patriotic War veterans, boarding schools, schools, rehabilitation centers, cultural and sports facilities etc. B. B. Kuandykov, the Oblast Akim, K. M. Kabyldin, NC KMG Board Chairman, and Cao Yamin, CNPC International (Kazakhstan) Ltd Voce President, presented the certificates of merit and letter of appreciation to Kumkol veterans and best workers. Wei Yuxiang, PetroKazakhstan Kumkol Resources President, expressed his confidence in Kumkol to have more honorable pages written by people working in the oil field with professionalism, hard work and highest love to their land. Special gratitude was expressed to the industry veterans. Kumkol oil field has become so-called illustrative training center for young specialists and beginners in oil and gas industry. Thanks to the special scholarship program, talented young people of Kyzylorda Oblast are educated in the best technical universities of Kazakhstan and China. According to Mr. Yuxiang speech, Kumkol has the right today to be the international center of crude oil marketing and transportation, new field infrastructure development and the leader in the gas utilization program implementation.
The anniversary holiday continued in the central square of Kyzylorda where the majestic holiday concert for people of Kyzylorda. The scene was taken by Russian and Kazakhstan pop stars. The colorful firework was the final.
/Abdrakhman Guybadullayev/