Kazakhstan

EITI Status Meaningful progress
Joined EITI in 2007
Latest Data From 2017
Latest Validation 2019
Website EITI Kazakhstan
Last updated 21 October 2020

Overview

Kazakhstan’s extractive sector plays an important role in the country’s development. The oil and gas sector contributed 18.6% to GDP in 2017. 

Oil, gas, coal and metal ore are the main industries in Kazakhstan’s extractive sector. The country has the largest recoverable crude oil reserves in Central Asia and its current oil production is approximately 1.8 million barrels a day. According to the 2017 EITI Report, Kazakhstan produced a record volume of 86.2 million tonnes of oil since 1991.

Having rich energy resources, Kazakhstan has developed trade relations all over the world. Its largest commodity importers are Russia, Uzbekistan, Ukraine, China, Poland and Switzerland.

Extractive industries contribution

  • 22 %
    to GDP
  • 199800
    jobs
  • 34.7 bn
    in USD to export

News, blogs and more

Tax and legal framework

The Code on Subsoil and Subsoil Use, approved December 2017, introduces a simplified process for license allocation. It provides extractive companies with fairer bidding opportunities, including through online services, and more flexible technical and financial criteria. Additionally, the Code addresses the issue of hidden ownership by introducing a concept of control over a company, allowing the government and business partners to know who they work with.

Licenses 

Licenses are granted through an e-licensing web portal. The Ministry of Energy administers contracts for subsoil use in terms of hydrocarbons, coal and uranium. The Ministry of Investment and Development approves projects related to the development of mineral deposits.

An interactive license cadastre map, hosted by the Committee of Geology and Subsoil, includes information on license holders, types, coordinates, and commodities being produced. License requests are published on the Ministry of Industry and Infrastructure Development website.

Beneficial ownership disclosure

The Government of Kazakhstan implements the Code on Subsoil and Subsoil Use which was appoved in December 2017 and includes rules that reinforce the requirement for subsoil users to provide a report on the composition of persons and (or) organizations that directly or indirectly control the subsoil use. 

In June 2019, the Ministry of Industry and Infrastructure Development disclosed for the first time beneficial ownership data on its website. The data include names of beneficial owners and their level of ownership. However, the data only covers new licenses and is not yet available in open data format.

Beneficial Ownership Roadmap - Kazakhstan
It is fascinating to see how the EITI reporting affected change in bringing more responsible management of the extractive sector in Kazakhstan beyond mere compliance to the requirements of the Standard.
Ruslan Baimishev, National Coordinator

Production

Kazakhstan is a leading producer of oil in Central Asia. It is also a major producer of gas, gold, coal, iron, uranium, manganese, bauxite and chromite.

Ongoing production is concentrated in 15 regions: Tengiz, Kashagan, Karachaganak, Uzen, Zhetybai, Zhanazhol, Kalamkas, Kenkiyak, Karazhanbas, Kumkol, North Buzachi, Alibekmola, Central and Eastern Prorva, Kenbai, Korolevskoye.

Natural resources

CommodityReservesUnitSignificance
Oil3,9billion tonsKazakhstan has 1.8% of the world’s oil reserves.
Gas1,5trillion Sm3Kazakhstan has 0.8% of the world’s gas reserves.
Coal33,6billion tonsKazakhstan has 3.8% of the world’s coal reserves
Gold213,50tons
Uranium1,7million tonsKazakhstan is second in the world in terms of volumes of prospective reserves.
Iron19thousand metric tons
Manganese700thousand
Bauxite345thousand metric tons
Chromite366thousand metric tons

Initializing chart.

Revenue collection

The 2017 EITI Report reveals that Kazakhstan received a revenue of USD 19 billion from the extractive industry in 2017. More than half (52.4%) of these revenues came from hydrocarbons, and the remaining revenues were derived from mining, with iron, copper and gold as the major commodities. Of these revenues, 23% were allocated to the National Fund (it accumulates part of the revenues generated by the extractive sector of the economy with favorable pricing conditions, so that, on the one hand, they can be saved for future generations, and on the other, to maintain the necessary level of government spending, primarily social, in the event of a fall in oil prices). Revenues were mainly collected through direct taxes from oil sector organisations such as corporate income tax, excess profit tax, bonuses etc.

Initializing chart.

Reconciled revenues by company (top 5)

Revenue allocation

Taxes from companies in the oil and gas sector, defined by the list approved annually by the Ministry of Finance of Kazakhstan and the Ministry of Economy of Kazakhstan, are sent to the National Fund of Kazakhstan for taxes and payments defined by law. The exception is the export customs duty (ETP) for crude oil, which is sent to the republican budget. Other taxes and payments, as well as taxes from other companies of the mining sector, go to the republican budget and local budgets and are not allocated from taxes received from other sectors of the economy.

Revenue and expenditure reports are regularly published by the Ministry of Finance in the Statistical Bulletin.

Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Kazakhstan

Innovations

The EITI multi-stakeholder group is working on transitions towards systematic disclosure to explore innovative approaches to make the EITI more relevant and useful. So far, this transition has resulted in:

  • The National Stakeholders Council has expressed interest in transition to the systematic disclosure.
  • Online reporting of company data through United State System of Subsoil Use Management of the Republic of Kazakhstan (EGSU).

In addition, oil, gas and mining companies began disclosing beneficial ownership information in 2019.

Implementation

EITI implementation in Kazakhstan is led by the National Stakeholders Council (NSC). The NSC is chaired by the Minister Investments and Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

The NSC, together with the Ministry of Energy, has taken the lead in mainstreaming EITI reporting by requesting that companies file their EITI Reports as part of other mandatory reporting for subsoil license holders, using an existing (EGSU) online platform.

Timeline

Validation

The second Validation of Kazakhstan commenced on 13 August 2019. On 14 April 2020, the Board agreed that Kazakhstan has made meaningful progress in implementing the 2016 EITI Standard, with considerable improvements.

The Board has determined that Kazakhstan will have 18 months before a third Validation, i.e. until 14 October 2021, to carry out corrective actions regarding MSG oversight (Requirement 1.4), license allocations (Requirement 2.2), state participation (Requirement 2.6), production data (Requirement 3.2), barter arrangements (Requirement 4.3), transport revenues (Requirement 4.4), social expenditures (Requirement 6.1) and quasi-fiscal expenditures (Requirement 6.2). 

View more information below or go to the Board's decision in full.

Board decision in full (2nd Validation)
Validation documentation page (2nd Validation)
Board decision in full (1st Validation)

Kazakhstan's progress by requirement

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Scorecards show the outcomes of Validation. Arrows of progress indicate where the International Secretariat has re-assessed a requirement following a corrective action in a second or third Validation. 

The reports demonstrate the extent to which our country’s budget is dependent on the extractives sector. The prudent use of these revenues, particularly with the most recent substantial decline in oil prices globally, is crucial for Kazakhstan’s development.
Maria Lobacheva from Almaty-based civil society organisation Echo.

EITI Reports and other key documents

Kazakhstan 2019 EITI Report

Published Date: 
December, 2020
Publisher: 
Kazakhstan EITI

This EITI Report covers Kazakhstan's extractive sector in 2019. The report is available in Russian.

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Kazakhstan 2018 EITI Report

Published Date: 
December, 2020
Publisher: 
Kazakhstan EITI

This EITI Report covers Kazakhstan's extractive sector in 2018. The report is available in Russian.

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Kazakhstan Validation 2019

Published Date: 
July, 2019

On 14 April 2020, Kazakhstan was found to have made meaningful progress overall in implementing the 2016 EITI Standard, with considerable improvements across several individual requirements.

Timeline of Validation and related materials13 August 2019: Validation commencedNovember 2019: Stakeholder consultationsSecretariat assessment & comments6 December 2019 - Draft Secretariat assessment [English Russian]16 January 2020 - Comments from the MSG  [

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Kazakhstan 2017 EITI Report

Published Date: 
October, 2018
Publisher: 
EITI Kazakhstan

This EITI Report covers Kazakhstan's extractive sector in 2017. It was published in November 2018. 

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Kazakhstan Validation 2017

Published Date: 
November, 2017

On 13 February 2018, Kazakhstan was found to have made meaningful progress in implementing the 2016 EITI Standard. See Board decision 2018-13/BM-39

Timeline of Validation and related materials

Initial data collection and stakeholder consultations

02.10.17 - Report on Initial data collection and stakeholder consultation [English Russian

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Feasibility study: Systematic disclosures of EITI data in Kazakhstan

Published Date: 
October, 2017
Publisher: 
Ernst & Young

Mainstreaming EITI: Pilot Study in Kazakhstan

This report has been compiled by EY company which was selected to act as the consultant with regards to the pilot study (feasibility study) on mainstreaming EITI in Kazakhstan. The study comprised the following objectives:

consideration of the current situation regarding disclosure of data by extractive industries as required by the EITI Standard (see Section 5), identification of data from extractive industries that was made publicly available through information systems, government registries and cadasters,

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Kazakhstan 2016 EITI Report

Published Date: 
September, 2017
Publisher: 
Kazakhstan EITI

This EITI Report covers Kazakhstan's extractive sector in 2016. It was published in October 2017. 

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View all documents related to Kazakhstan in our publications library

Contacts

National Coordinator

Head of the national secretariat

Eldar Nurbatyrov

Head of the national secretariat
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International Secretariat

Oliana Valigura

Oliana Valigura

Regional Director – Eurasia (on leave)
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