American companies and investors from Kazakhstan's neighboring countries are showing interest in acquiring Lukoil assets in Kazakhstan due to sanctions. Astana has a preemptive right to purchase them and will decide whether to exercise it. This was stated by the head of the Republic's Ministry of Energy, Erlan Akkenzhenov.
„The Kazakh government is currently not conducting any negotiations to purchase these assets. But I know that many companies are interested. These include American companies and companies from neighboring countries in our region. “So let's wait, but I want to remind you that the Republic of Kazakhstan has a priority right under the Subsoil Use Code and we will decide in the future whether to exercise it“, he said.
Akkenzhenov noted that the US has already extended the sanctions until mid-January. “Therefore, all we are looking forward to the expiration of these terms and further actions,” he said. In October, the US Treasury included Lukoil in a new package of US sanctions. On December 10, the US announced that the license to sell foreign assets had been extended until January 17.