Two ruptures on Intergas Central Asia pipeline occur

ASTANA, September 22 (Itar-Tass) - There were two ruptures overnight
in the Mangistau region of Kazakhstan on the Intergas Central Asia gas
mainline, the republic's Emergency Situations Ministry reported on
Wednesday.
"Two ruptures occurred on the Intergas Central Asia main pipeline with
following fire at 01:40, local time, Wednesday (23:40, Moscow time,
Tuesday) one kilometre from the Sai-Utes settlement. The gas supply
through the pipeline was shut off. There have been no casualties," the
ministry reported.
A total of 80 people and 10 machinery units, including an emergency
restoration train, are engaged in the liquidation of the emergency. A
response headquarters has been established by the regional emergencies
department.
Intergas Central Asia is a daughter enterprise of KazTransGas. The
pipeline is used for transit of Central Asian and Russian gas via the
territory of Kazakhstan.
Intergas Central Asia, JSC ("ICA") was incorporated in June 1997 and
currently, being a member of KazTransGas group of companies (a subsidiary
of the NC KazMunayGas) has the primary responsibility to operate and
manage the gas transportation networks of Kazakhstan granted to ICA under
the terms of concession.
The principal activities of Intergas Central Asia focus on operation
and maintenance of the main gas transportation system securing
transmission of natural gas to domestic consumers and international gas
transit.
Notably, Intergas Central Asia controls and manages the main gas
pipeline transportation system of the Republic of Kazakhstan with the
total length of gas pipelines in excess of 11,000 km. Given the on-going
reconstruction the throughput capacity of the pipelines has been
invariably increasing.
Within Kazakhstan, ICA is responsible for transportation of natural
gas through 10 main gas pipelines serviced by 22compressor stations
equipped with284gas compressor units of various types and models.
The most important in terms of transmission volumes is the main gas
pipeline Central Asia-Centre ("CAC") with the aggregate length of 4,892 km
in one-line estimation.
In addition, ICA operates three underground gas storages ("UGS"), the
biggest being Bozoi UGS located in Aktobe region. Others are Poltoratskoye
UGS located in the Southern-Kazakhstan region and Akyrtobe UGS in Zhambyl
region. Underground gas storages are used to smooth the seasonality of gas
demand supplying extra natural gas in winter and during the periods with
lower gas imports.
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