Production hike lifts Kazakhstan oil exports

Almaty: Kazakhstan's oil exports rose 2.8 per cent last year, according to preliminary figures published by the government.

Kazakhstan, the second-biggest oil producer in the former Soviet Union after Russia, exported 62.4 million tonnes of crude last year, the government said in the official Kazakhstanskaya Pravda newspaper yesterday. Output of oil and gas condensate grew 4.1 per cent to 70 million tonnes last year, the government said.

Oil production was led by Chevron Corp's TengizChevroil LLP venture and by Karachaganak Petroleum Operating BV, a venture of BG Group Plc and Eni SpA.

TengizChevroil produced 17.5 million tonnes and Karachaganak 11.5 million tonnes, the government said.

The Central Asian country's gas exports rose 28 per cent to 5.67 billion cubic metres last year. Gas production was 33.18 billion cubic metres in 2008, an increase of 12 per cent from a year earlier, the government said.