A worker at Kazakhstan’s Airankol oilfield
Kazakhstan struggles with energy balance
The Central Asian country is positioning itself as a low-carbon leader, but antiquated infrastructure and a dependence on Russia are holding it back
Kazakhstan is producing record amounts of oil for export, with output reportedly reaching 2.12m b/d at the beginning of March, exceeding the country’s OPEC+ quota of 1.47m b/d. At the same time, the country’s energy policy is undergoing a strategic shift to diversify from its long-standing reliance on fossil fuel export revenues while adding uranium and rare earths exports. Domestically, nuclear and renewable energy sources will complement coal power generation. The aim is not only to diversify energy sources for domestic consumption, but also to build Kazakhstan’s capacity to export nuclear fuels. 2.12m b/d – Kazakhstan’s March oil production In mid-March, Kazakh President Kassym-J
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