The Chairman of the Board of JSC NC “KazMunayGas” Askhat Khassenov held a meeting with the Director of the European and North Atlantic Office of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), Nicolas Rallo.
The parties discussed the transition of Kazakhstan to the international aviation fuel standard Jet A-1 and the modernization of the corresponding infrastructure.
A. Khassenov stated that the oil refineries of KMG are technically ready to produce Jet A-1 aviation fuel. However, its wide implementation requires additional infrastructure preparation at domestic airports.
“In this regard, KMG, through its subsidiary KazMunayGas-Aero, has initiated a number of investment projects aimed at building and modernizing fuel infrastructure at the country’s airports. This is necessary to ensure the storage of both traditional aviation fuel and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). I am confident that cooperation with ICAO will help accelerate the certification processes and alignment with international standards,” noted the head of KMG.
The projects also include the procurement of the latest airport fuel tankers. The total investment is estimated at 15 billion tenge.
Additionally, the progress of the project for the construction of a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production plant in Kazakhstan was discussed. The project, implemented jointly with LanzaJet and BioOperations, is currently at the stage of technical and economic feasibility study.
It is worth noting that Kazakhstan’s transition to Jet A-1 is a necessary condition for the use of SAF.
“We expect that the implementation of this project will allow Kazakhstan to take a leading position in SAF production in the region, which will undoubtedly also contribute to improving the environmental performance of the aviation industry and the development of our country’s transit potential, in accordance with the instructions of the Head of State,” emphasized A. Khassenov.
Following the meeting, the parties confirmed their readiness to intensify work on all key areas.
