Kazakhstan is preparing to almost triple its purchases of Russian gas this year, an extraordinary increase for one of the world’s major hydrocarbon producers. Deputy Energy Minister Kairkhan Tutkyshbayev said purchases from Gazprom are poised to reach around 11 billion cubic metres, up from 4 billion last year. Another 9 billion cubic metres is under discussion for 2027. Tutkyshbayev blamed the surge partly on disruptions at Kazakhstan’s giant gas-producing fields. The deeper problem, however, is processing capacity. Much of Kazakhstan’s gas is produced alongside oil and cannot simply be fed into the domestic network. At the same time, the expansion of household connections to the gas grid, greater use of gas-fired power generation and rising industrial consumption have steadily increased demand. The persistence of large imports next year suggests the gap will outlast this year’s production disruptions. Uzbekistan has followed a similar trajectory, with Russian gas imports rising rapidly since 2023 as domestic production declined and consumption grew.

Kazakhstan plans to purchase 11 billion cubic meters of gas from Gazprom in 2026, with deliveries of approximately 9 billion cubic meters under discussion for next year, Vice Minister of Energy Kaiyrkhan Tutkyshbayev told reporters on the sidelines of the International Industrial and Energy Forum.

“Volumes are being discussed. This year, we had some minor technical glitches at our major fields. Last year, while we took, say, 4 billion cubic meters, this year it’s 11 billion. For next year, we’re discussing approximately 9 billion cubic meters,” RIA Novosti quoted him as saying.

He also said that Kazakhstan and Gazprom signed an addendum to the gas supply contract, and the parties plan to discuss a long-term contract by the end of the year. “Russia remains a strategic partner for us; we have no problems with gas issues,” Tutkyshbayev emphasized.