Kazakhstan: Supreme Audit Chamber finds KZT 24.1 billion in financial irregularities in the gas sector

Kazakhstan's Supreme Audit Chamber reviewed, at a meeting chaired by its head Alikhan Smailov, the results of an audit of the efficiency of resources directed to developing the gas sector, Tengrinews and Inbusiness reported on 6 November, the latter citing the chamber's press service.

The figures. Auditors found KZT 24.1 billion in financial irregularities and KZT 18.2 billion in inefficient planning and use of budget funds. During the audit KZT 59.4 million was returned to the budget, and a further KZT 20.2 billion was recovered through accounting and the completion of works.

The domestic market. Kazakhstan has gas reserves of 3,800 billion cubic metres, and gross output totalled 239.5 billion m³ in 2022–2025. However, production of commercial gas for the domestic market is growing more slowly than the needs of households and the economy, and the market depends on a narrow circle of subsoil users, according to the auditors. Off-spec gas increases wear on compressors and forces the national operator to grant discounts on exports.

The network. Companies of the national operator run more than 20,000 km of trunk gas pipelines and about 77,000 km of distribution networks, much of it built long ago and used beyond its standard service life; the pace of modernisation is judged insufficient. At the end of 2025, household gasification stood at 64.2%, with 13.1 million people and 2,240 settlements connected.

What comes next. The chamber sent the audited entities orders to remedy the violations, monitored until completion, and recommendations on managing the sector, its resource base and infrastructure modernisation. According to BES.media, the audit announced in April covered the QazaqGaz group: the parent company, QazaqGaz Aimaq, Intergas Central Asia and QazaqGaz Exploration and Production.