Oil companies are often reproached for non-transparency of their business. This is especially true for companies with foreign participation. Therefore, companies that hold transparency and efficiency as priorities are very important in the establishment of a healthy business climate.
Last week, PetroKazakhstan showed the company production facilities and presented its business methods to journalists of national business media.
The minibus with correspondents left Kyzylorda early in morning for Kumkol field. In a couple of hours, when it seemed the road across vast Kyzylorda steppe will never end, the driver announcement: “Oasis. We arrived!”
The green oasis turned out to be the rotational village with the ‘Shift – 40’ plate at the entrance. The village is the place of residence for employees from all company fields.
As we were told by the company representatives, the first 40 oilmen came to Kumkol field over 20 years ago, that is why the village was called ‘Shift-40’. Over 3 000 oil specialists work here now. PetroKazakhstan Kumkol Resources (PKKR, downstream unit of the company) created all necessary working conditions for its employees: the gym, first-aid post, and canteen.
Modern equipment is operated in all company fields. As Zhu Fumin, Director, Field Operations, told us, the company employs oil pumping units, booster stations, measuring equipment here. The whole system and each process are automatized, as the journalists were able to judge by the diagram in the display.
Separation process starts once contents of oil, water and gas in the extracted liquid are determined in the measuring units. Then separated fractions are transported via special units. Water for formation pressure maintenance is re-injected, while oil goes to complex preparation and pumping workshop. Significant part of that oil will be transported to the Shymkent Refinery. Associated gas is transferred to the central utilization workshop. Today PKKR has production facilities that ensure gas utilization by means of electric power production, gas re-injection, and use of gas for the facility’s own needs as fuel for oil preparation units. PetroKazakhstan was among the first Kazakhstani companies to initiate gas utilization program, utilizing 95% of extracted gas now. Construction work is ongoing in the region to expand the gas turbine unit for power supply. Two turbines will be put into operation until the year end, and the unit capacity will be increased from today’s 55 to 80 MWt/hr. This would ensure the company completes its gas utilization works, thus fully performing its commitments.
As told by Mr. Fang Jiazhong, PKKR Board Chairman, as a result of works in new blocks in 2010, oil reserves increase by 23 M ton is expected. Today the company is extracting gold in 11 fields. 37 of 475 active wells are flowing wells, and the others are operated with assistance of screw pumps.
“As you know, fields we operate now are rather mature, and natural production decline is evident”, as mentioned by Mr. Fang. “Although we hope to discover new fields and to continue maintaining our annual yield at 3M ton until 2015” (PKKR’s 2009 yield was 3.1M ton. – “&”).
Thanks to company’s commitment to principles of efficiency, social responsibility, and transparency, PetroKazakhstan is the 4th largest petroleum company in the country, and was awarded with Golden Prometheus from KazEnergy Association in 2009. Please follow our articles on company’s business principles in the next editions of “&”.
/Assel Maratova/