Kazakhstan's oil & gas storage and transportation system and enlightenment of transit transportation

Kazakhstan, rich in oil and gas resources, is an important hub for oil and gas transportation in Central Asia. The oil & gas storage and transportation system of Kazakhstan is an important channel to promote the energy cooperation between China and Kazakhstan, which is of great significance to realize the connectivity under the Belt and Road Initiative and ensure the energy security of China. In this study, by investigating the current situation of Kazakhstan's oil and gas channel system, the pattern of the channel system, the transit country status and the evolution process, the characteristics of Kazakhstan as an important oil and gas transportation corridor in the geopolitics of energy were analyzed. Meanwhile, the internal relationship of China with Kazakhstan in terms of energy security was especially clarified from the power of energy corridor, and on this basis, suggestions on cooperation were proposed. It is found in this study that the total transportation capacities of Kazakhstan's oil and gas pipelines are up to 1×10⁸ t/a and 2 700×10⁸ m³/a, with the transit capacities reaching 2 000×10⁴ t/a and 1 900×10⁸ m³/a, respectively. In recent years, China has participated in the construction of most new trunk pipelines in Kazakhstan, and played an important role in the diversification of Kazakhstan's energy export. Due to the limitation of geographical and market factors, Kazakhstan's dependence on Russia in crude oil export has increased from 73% to 95%, while the natural gas cooperation between Kazakhstan and China has reduced its dependence on Russia in gas export from 97% to 60%. Generally, the arrangement of northwest energy corridor in future should be based on the strategic stronghold of Kazakhstan, so as to strengthen the diversification of channel sources and routes, innovate natural gas cooperation mode, and promote the interconnection of energy channels in Central Asia.