ASTANA, Kazakhstan, November 27. Kazakhstan’s
national gas operator, QazaqGaz, and China National Petroleum
Corporation (CNPC) have advanced to the next stage of collaboration
on the Northern-1 gas field project in the Aktobe region, Trend reports via
QazaqGaz.
The announcement followed negotiations between Alibek Zhamauov,
Chairman of the Management Board at QazaqGaz, and Zhou Xinhuai,
President of CNPC, in China.
The companies have formalized a financing agreement to support
the exploration phase of the project, which will continue until the
development plan is approved and the field progresses toward
industrial-scale production.
Additionally, a joint operations agreement for the Northern-1
site has been finalized. These agreements now set the stage for the
commencement of geological exploration activities.
“The Northern-1 project represents a significant advancement in
expanding our natural gas resource base. The signing of these
agreements will facilitate the swift transition to the operational
phase and the incorporation of cutting-edge technologies in
geological exploration,” Zhamauov said.
In June 2025, QazaqGaz and CNPC-Aktobemunaygaz, a subsidiary of
CNPC, had previously agreed on joint geological exploration at the
Northern-1 site, with CNPC committing to fully finance the
exploration phase. The Northern-1 gas field is regarded as one of
Kazakhstan’s most promising regions for natural gas reserves.
CNPC, China’s largest state-owned oil and gas company, has been
engaged in oil and gas exploration, production, refining, and
pipeline construction since its founding in 1988.
