Air Astana warns of air traffic disruptions due to termination of kerosene deliveries

Regular air traffic in Kazakhstan is under threat due to the termination of deliveries of aviation kerosene from Russia and the forthcoming suspension of the Shymkent oil refinery, Air Astana said.

The main companies exporting aviation kerosene in Kazakhstan are PJSC Gazprom Neft, PJSC Rosneft, PJSC Lukoil and PJSC Tatneft. The aggregate average monthly volume exported by those companies in 2017 decreased to 15,000 tons compared to 44,000 tons in 2016. Moreover, for October those companies have not confirmed the supplies due to high demand in the Russian market.

In 2017, the Kazakh civil aviation’s demand is 800,000 tons of aviation kerosene, of which 241,000 tons are produced by the Shymkent Oil Refinery, which is the only stable producer of aviation kerosene in Kazakhstan. However, this plant’s activity will be stopped for maintenance in autumn 2017, the company added.