The 6th KAZENERGY Eurasian Forum Kazakhstan: 20 Years of Sustainable Growth, New Horizons for Investment and Cooperation was held in Astana on October 4-5. Kazakhstan Prime-Minister Karim Massimov took part in the event. KAZENERGY Eurasian Forum is a dialogue platform that brings together oil and gas companies, authorities and international experts.

The Forum covered Geopolitics of Eurasian Energy: Challenges and New Frontiers, Sustainable Development of Energy Industry -- Relevant Global Energy Supply System, New Horizons for Oil & Gas Industry Development: Investment and Innovation, Nuclear Power -- Lessons Learned, and New Opportunities for the Development of RES, Energy Efficiency and Ecological Safety.
 
 
Didier Holleaux, GDF SUEZ E&P, Senior Vice President, made a presentation Extent of innovations in the energy sector: improving efficiency and developing geographical, geological, and technical limits of exploration and production at the 6th KAZENERGY Eurasian Forum. After the plenary session, Didier Holleaux gave an exclusive interview for pm.kz website.

Question:  What are the prospects of innovative development of Kazakhstan?

Answer: As far as we are concerned, the main project that we are involved in here in Kazakhstan is development of Khvalynskoye field which is at the border between Kazakhstan and Russian in the Caspian Sea. And because it is terrifically complicated gas condensate fields we will have to be innovative to develop it in economic way. I am very sure that together with your operator Lukoil, Total company and GDF SUEZ will be trying to develop innovative solutions to make it work.
 
Q:  How effective is innovative cooperation in the energy sphere?

A: I think, energy companies being capitalistic and needing so much investment, are ready to promote innovations when it allows us to do the things in a more efficient way spending less money to develop the fields we have to develop, etc. I believe that in Asian, particularly, oil and gas business first and the main is that companies are ready to be innovative and second, they do it always in partnership. So it allows innovations to be developing many of the companies, because, when you bring a good idea to your operator than all of the partners know about it and start using these innovations in other fields, in other areas. Therefore, in our industry, in oil and gas industry it is very favorable to develop innovations.
 
 
Gilles Perrot, Total Gas&Power, Photovoltaic Project Leader, gave an exclusive interview for pm.kz website at the sidelines of the 6th KAZENERGY Eurasian Forum.

Q: Due to the scarcity of energy resources – gas, oil, coal, the development of renewable energy sources becomes the priority. What do you think about the future of solar energy and solar industry in Kazakhstan?

A: Solar energy has a great future here in Kazakhstan for many reasons. First, you have a lot of sun, second, you have a lot of space, which is important, and third, not all of the population is reached by the grid, so in regions where the electrical grid doesn’t go, the solar energy with the sun that you have, again, is very good economical way of bringing electricity to. At the same time, if you develop the solar energy in your country, you can save environment for the future generations. This is a way to master resources that you have on your own terms.
 
Q: What are the prospects for cooperation between Kazakhstan and Total Company in the solar energy sphere?

A: We are interested in having discussions with your country. We think there are a lot of things to develop. You have an access to very good silicon first, and maybe there are opportunities to develop the silicon purification industry in your country. At the same time we have high-tech industry in solar energy with organic photovoltaic energy which could be of interest for your research institutes.

Hege Marie Norheim, Statoil Company, Senior Vice President on Climate delivered a report Energy realities and climate challenges; a sustainable way forward at the 6th KAZENERGY Eurasian Forum. She  gave an exclusive interview for pm.kz website upon completion of the plenary session.

Q: You represent one of the leading oil and gas companies of Norway. How has your country managed to achieve such a great success in oil industry development?

A: First of all let me congratulate Kazakhstan on the 20th anniversary of the country’s independence. The approach of Norway to industry development was similar to what Kazakhstan is now implementing. We worked on development of industry through development of social sphere. We paid great attention to this sphere, securing pensions, social welfare for our generations for many decades to come. So I think in many ways there are many similarities between what Norway did and what I see Kazakhstan is doing. We would really like to extend our great hopes for Kazakhstan. We can also contribute with our experience and technologies in fields development, specifically, in regulations on how to do this environmentally sound and in a way where the great qualities of Kazakhstan’s society are preserved and the security and freedom of Kazakh people is preserved.
 
Q: How is it possible to minimize the impact that the modern energy industry has on the climate change?

A: When it comes to the local environment – water quality and local environment, I think it’s very important that the government puts strict regulations, but also works together with industry and labor unions. I think, one of those important things that we had in Norway is close cooperation, when the state is setting requirements, and the industry shows the state how it fulfills the requirements. When it comes to more big and global challenges as the climate change, I think gas is going to be a part of that solution. Kazakhstan can really help in supplying gas to the world countries helping them to use and monetize it. We also need to work on the energy efficiency which is very high in the agenda of Kazakhstan.
 
 
Tengrinews
 
 
19.10.2011