Kazakh Oil Production Up 1%, Condensate – Down 20% in Jan

ASTANA. Feb 13 (Interfax) – Crude oil production in Kazakhstan in January 2006 increased 1.3% year-on-year to 4.35 million tonnes, a source in the State Statistics Agency told Interfax.

Production of gas condensate fell by 19.7% to 724,700 tonnes, with natural gas production down 16.6% to 1.84 billion cubic meters. In particular, production of natural gas in gas form amounted to 1.009 billion cubic meters(down 18.5% year-on-year), while commercial output amounted to 748.9 million cubic meters (down 3%). Production of associated oil gas in the reporting period amounted to 827.5 mcm – down 14.1% year-on-year.

Production of gasoline in the republic in January increased 3,7% year-on-year 173,100 tonnes, and fuel oil – 41.6%, to 273,800. Kerosene production, including rocket fuel, increased 88% to 22,000 tonnes, and gas oil production increased 28.3% to 283,300 tonnes.

Kazakhstan produced 51.26 million tonnes of oil in 2005, up 1.2% from 2004. natural gas production increased 25% last year to 14.49 bcm.