Natural gas is transported via trunklines, which have a very steady throughput from fields to points of consumption. Conversely, seasonal variations primarily determine gas consumption. Special compensating facilities, such as gas storages that can accumulate excess gas, store it, and provide it to customers when gas demand rises, are used to reduce peak loads and provide flexibility and reliability of gas supplies. For this reason, aquifers, salt caverns, and depleted hydrocarbon fields are used to construct underground gas storage (UGS) facilities. By the fall/winter 2019–2020 period, working gas inventories in the Company’s UGS facilities had risen to 72.232 billion cubic meters, and at the start of the withdrawal season, potential maximum daily deliverability had reached a new high of 843.3 million cubic meters (an increase of 30.8 million cubic meters).

Facilities for the storage and distribution of natural gas and petroleum are owned and operated by KB Petroleum LLP. More than 7.5 million barrels of bulk fuel are stored in our tanks. Our terminals provide state-of-the-art blending procedures for our supplies of ethanol and biofuel, in addition to multi-modal capabilities (pipeline, truck, rail, and light oil barges). Additionally, KB Petroleum LLP has third-party contracts in place all over Kazakhstan, which enables us to sell gas there.

The tanks are connected to the pumps that supply the long-distance pipelines by underground transfer pipes that are remotely operated and centrally located between the tanker pier and the tanks. To obtain specific features and qualities of feedstock and crude oil, for example, it is also possible to transfer different grades of crude oil to different areas of the tank farm. The tanks can also be used to transport crude oil to and from the caves.

Transportation

An important part of our business is transportation. Energy delivery to our clients in China must be reliable, flexible, safe, and efficient, and that is the responsibility of KB Petroleum LLP Pipe Line. Several trunk pipelines that cross Kazakhstan are used to transport natural gas to Chinese consumers. With a design capacity of more than 100 bcm, they make up one of the biggest gas transport networks in the world, enabling the delivery of Kazakhstan gas to customers in the CIS.

All of our products are guaranteed to arrive at their intended locations thanks to the upkeep and investments made by KB Petroleum LLP in an integrated system. A network of pipelines and storage facilities used for the transportation of crude oil, natural gas, natural gas liquids, carbon dioxide, petrochemicals, and refined products is owned and/or operated by KB Petroleum LLP. In addition, KB Petroleum LLP Shipping is in charge of a fleet of vessels that travels the globe carrying our processed goods, liquefied natural gas, and crude oil. The KB Petroleum LLP travels more than 1.4 million kilometers annually.