AKSAI, Western Kazakhstan Oblast, 14 April 2003 - A group of personnel from KazTransOil has completed a technical training package provided by the training centre of Karachaganak Integrated Organisation (KIO).

The training course was organised under an agreement between KazTransOil, a national oil and gas transporting company, and KIO. The agreement provides for participation of KazTransOil in commissioning, future operations and maintenance of KIO's 635-km export pipeline Karachaganak - Bolshoi Chagan - Atyrau.

A representative from KazTransOil, Gennady Korablev, said that KazTransOil had selected 55 their employees to attend the course. The trainees were split into two groups to ensure better efficiency of the training process.

KIO training centre co-ordinator Vladimir Spiridonov said: "The curriculum conformed with the requirements of the regulatory authorities. The training course encompassed the disciplines that are necessary for KazTransOil employees to be able to work on KIO's export pipeline in the future. In addition, special attention was paid to safety regulations and emergency response measures".

At the end of April the KazTransOil trainees will start on-the-job training at the export pipeline facilities in Atyrau and Bolshoi Chagan.

In the meantime, the construction of the pipeline infrastructure facilities is finishing. Recently an internal inspection of the whole pipeline has been completed and the installation of control systems is currently under way.

The start-up of KIO's export pipeline is scheduled for summer 2003.