ASTANA, October 14. /TASS/. President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev praised Lukoil for its contributions to fostering partnership relations between Astana and Moscow.

"Lukoil makes a significant contribution to strengthening the partnership between Kazakhstan and Russia. <…> On the Caspian shelf, Lukoil, in cooperation with KazMunayGas, has begun implementing the promising Kalamkas-More and Khazar projects. <…> In addition, Lukoil is currently participating in the development of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium, which also holds special importance for our country," the president’s press service quoted him as saying during a commemorative event marking the company’s 30th anniversary in the republic.

The Kazakh leader recalled that Lukoil has invested over $12 bln in the country’s oil and gas sector, producing 94 mln tons of oil and 60 bln cubic meters of gas. According to Tokayev, activities in the republic have recently gained particular significance in large-scale geological exploration, the launch of deep processing projects, digitalization, and the implementation of artificial intelligence technologies.

The Kalamkas-More - Khazar project involves KazMunayGas (50%) and Lukoil (50%). Agreements have been signed for the project, and a joint venture, Kalamkas - Khazar Operating LLP, has been established to operate it. The project is expected to attract more than $6 bln in direct investment. According to Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Energy, construction of offshore platforms for the project will begin in 2026 at Kazakh shipyards.

The Kalamkas-More field is located in the northeastern Caspian Sea, 64 km from the coast, with depths of 6-7 meters. It is a long, narrow structure approximately 50 km in length and up to 6 km wide. The Khazar field lies 30 km southwest of Kalamkas-More and 65 km northwest of the Buzachi Peninsula. Both fields have confirmed reserves registered on the balance of the Republic of Kazakhstan.