Oil In Kazakhstan Research Articles

Development of an automated system for the purification of alkanolamine solutions

The alkanolamine solutions used in natural gas purification processes are inevitably degraded over time. This occurs due to accumulation of reaction products from the reactions with carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulphide, oxygen and other impurities present in the gas streams, as well as from thermal degradation. The degradation of solutions leads to the formation of thermostable compounds that not only reduce absorption efficiency, but also increase corrosive activity. Furthermore, part of the amine turns into a bound state and becomes ballast. The necessity of purification of alkanolamine solutions is becoming more and more urgent since the cost of maintaining efficient operation of gas treatment plants grows, and environmental safety requirements increase. Purification of solutions makes it possible to prolong their service life, reduce the cost of purchasing new reagents and reduce the negative impact on the equipment. In this work the method of anion-exchange technology of purification is used. Unlike vacuum distillation and electrodialysis, the considered technology does not require significant energy costs for generation and maintenance of vacuum, and heating of solutions, it can be easily integrated into the existing production process without any significant changes in the infrastructure. The described problem is relevant for Kazakhstan oil refineries, two of which use methyldiethanolamine, and one of which uses diethanolamine, and the existing practice of maintaining the operability of the systems is based on periodic replacement of part of the solution with pure amine. The development of automated systems for purification of such solutions makes it possible to significantly improve process control, minimise manual labour, and improve the overall economic efficiency of production.

Application of fusion property calculations for Kazakhstani oil samples

This study thoroughly investigates the melting properties and solid-state transition temperatures of crude oil from Kazakhstan's oil field, which is critical for predicting wax precipitation. Utilizing advanced laboratory equipment such as gas chromatographs, differential scanning calorimeters (DSC), and pour point testers, we obtained comprehensive data on these parameters. Based on the results, we developed new correlations for the melting point and solid-state transition temperature of crude oil, which demonstrate closer alignment with the reference values for various hydrocarbons' melting points compared to standard prediction models. These findings provide more accurate models for wax deposition, essential for efficient crude oil transportation and processing. The results indicated that implementing these new correlations could lead to significant cost savings by reducing pipeline blockages and maintenance requirements, thereby improving overall operational efficiency.

Exploring the use of microbial enhanced oil recovery in Kazakhstan: a review.

Microbial enhanced oil recovery (MEOR) is a promising method for improving oil recovery from challenging reservoirs such as those found in Kazakhstan. MEOR relies on the activities of microorganisms to modify the properties of the reservoir, such as reducing the oil viscosity, increasing the reservoir permeability, and generating by-products that mobilize the oil. Implementing MEOR in Kazakhstan could lead to significant economic benefits for the country by increasing oil production and royalties from fossil fuel exports. Oil production in Kazakhstan has seen fluctuations in recent years, with 2018 recording a production level of 1.814 million barrels per day. Among regions, Atyrau region contributed the most to oil production with 23.4 million tons of oil. Following Atyrau, the Mangystau region produced 8.2 million tons, and Aktobe produced 2.4 million tons. Overall, the use of MEOR in Kazakhstan's oil fields could offer a promising solution for enhanced oil recovery, while minimizing environmental impact and cost. While specific data on the current use of MEOR in field conditions in Kazakhstan might be limited, the fact that studies are underway suggests a growing interest in applying this technology in the country's oil fields. It is exciting to think about the potential benefits these studies could bring to Kazakhstan's oil industry once their findings are implemented in field operations. These studies have significant implications for Kazakhstan's oil production in the future.

Nitrogen-containing compounds of Kazakhstan petroleum vacuum gas oil

Relevance. The need to accumulate data on nitrogen-containing compounds of heavy fractions, the share of which in secondary oil refining is steadily increasing every year. With the weight of raw materials the amount of sulfur-, nitrogen- and oxygen-containing components in it increases. The high content of heteroatomic compounds has a negative impact on catalytic processing, the quality and performance characteristics of the products obtained, and the environment. One of the widespread processes for upgrading crude oil, in particular, vacuum gas oil, is hydrotreating. However, during the catalytic hydrodesulfurization of heavy distillates the reactions of hydrogenolysis of organic sulfur compounds are inhibited in the presence of nitrogen-containing compounds. At the same time, the degree of hydrodenitrogenation of heavy oil fractions is relatively low. It is known that petroleum nitrogen-containing compounds are divided into nitrogenous bases titrated with acid solutions and nonbasic nitrogen compounds. Nitrogenous bases are represented mainly by alkylbenzo- and alkylnaphthenobenzo derivatives of pyridine. Nonbasic compounds may include benzologs of pyrrole and amides. Determining the composition of nitrogen-containing compounds in vacuum gas oil and studying their transformations during hydrotreatment is an important and actual problem. Aim. Comparative study of high- and low-molecular nitrogenous bases and nonbasic nitrogen-containing compounds of vacuum gas oil of Kazakhstan oil before and after hydrotreating. Objects. Samples taken before and after the catalytic hydrotreatment of vacuum gas oil from Kazakhstan oil. Methods. Hydrotreatment, elemental analysis, potentiometric titration, benzene cryoscopy, IR and 1H NMR spectroscopy, structural group analysis. Results. The paper introduces a comparative characteristic of the composition and structure of high and low molecular weight nitrogenous bases from the original and hydrotreated vacuum gas oil. Under the conditions of hydrotreatment, the total removal of nitrogen was 6.56 wt %, and the content of Nbas. decreased by 36%. At the same time, nitrogenous bases in the hydrotreated product are characterized by low molecular weights. Using IR spectroscopy, similar structural fragments were identified in the nitrogen compounds of the original and hydrotreated vacuum gas oil: pyridine rings (1573–1574 cm–1), carboxylic (3209–3225 and 1701–1709 cm–1) and sulfoxide (1032–1033 cm–1) groups. Among the nitrogen-containing compounds of the original vacuum gas oil, amides (1647–1648 cm–1) were identified, which are absent in the composition of nitrogen-containing compounds of the hydrotreated vacuum gas oil. Hydrocarbon skeletons of molecules include aromatic (1599–1602 cm–1) and aliphatic fragments (2860–2960 and 1454–1460, 1377, 723–727 cm–1). In accordance with the results of the structural group analysis, the averaged molecules of high and low molecular weight nitrogenous bases of the original and hydrotreated vacuum gas oil are represented by naphthenoaromatic structures with different alkyl framing. The differences observed between the values of individual structural parameters of the nitrogenous bases average molecules of the original and hydrotreated vacuum gas oil may indicate the compounds transformations under study during hydrotreatment.

Thermodynamic Modeling and Process Simulation of Kumkol Crude Oil Refining

The Crude Distillation Unit (CDU) mechanism is commonly regarded as the first stage in petroleum refining. In this study, Aspen Plus® is used to simulate the basic process of a CDU, which consists of an Atmospheric Distillation Column (ATC) and a Vacuum Distillation Column (VC). These columns are fed with two types of crude oil: KUMKOL from Kazakhstan and Soviet Export Blend, in the proportions of 0.75:0.25, 0.50:0.50, and 0.25:0.75, respectively. The goal was to do a parametric analysis and analyze the resultant streams of naphtha, kerosene, Atmospheric Gas Oil (AGO), Light Vacuum Gas Oil (LVGO), and Heavy Vacuum Gas Oil (HVGO). The simulation used the CHAO-SEA thermodynamic model, which included the Chao-Seader correlation, the Scatchard-Hildebrand model, the Redlich-Kwong equation of state, the Lee-Kesler equation of state, and the API gravity technique. Temperature, pressure, mass flow, enthalpy, vapor percentage, and average molecular weights of the streams at various phases within the CDU system were estimated. For both the ATC and VC columns, curves indicating Temperature- Pressure vs the number of stages, as well as ASTM D86 (temperature) versus stream volume % distillation, were developed. The results show that when compared to feed streams containing 0.25 and 0.50 StdVol of Kumkol Kazakhstan Oil, the feed stream with 0.75 StdVol produces more Heavy, Medium, and Light Vacuum Gas Oil (H-VGO, M-VGO, and L-VGO), as well as more Vacuum Gas (VG). These findings indicate that Kumkol Kazakhstan Oil is of high quality and has fewer contaminants, such as sulfur when compared to other accessible mixes throughout the world.

EFFICIENCY RESULTS OF THE CATALYST FUNCTIONING OF A CATALYTIC CRACKING UNIT

The article considers possibilities for solving the urgent problem of increasing the depth of refining of Kazakhstan oil fields Kumkol and Western Kazakhstan in order to increase the volume of oil products demanded for the country - gasoline, paraffin and diesel fuel.

Innovative Potential of the Oil and Gas Industry of Kazakhstan

The article is devoted to analysing the innovative potential of enterprises in Kazakhstan's oil and gas sector and developing ways for its effective implementation. In the current economic conditions, the issue of increasing efficiency, modernization, innovative activity and strategic partnership in the oil and gas sector is becoming especially relevant. This is since the raw material orientation of the industry poses a threat to the economic security of the country, which means that increasing the innovative potential of such an important sector for the country's GDP is an urgent problem. The authors of the article analyzed the relationship between the innovative potential of the oil and gas sector and the internal costs of innovation, and the volume of innovative products. An analysis was carried out on benchmark indicators of the country's global competitiveness index, as well as an analysis of measures to introduce innovation in Kazakhstan's oil and gas industry. The most significant technological innovations in the main segments of the oil and gas complex are given. On the basis of the research, proposals were made to increase the innovative potential of the enterprises of the oil and gas industry in Kazakhstan. The most critical strategic prospects for developing Kazakhstan's oil and gas sector are substantiated based on two directions: an increase in internal costs for innovation and an increase in the volume of innovative products.

Development of a small‐size processing line for production of safflower oil

AbstractThere is growing interest in exploring new types of cultivated plants that offer unique health benefits. Safflower is a promising plant nutrition resource that has gained popularity in Kazakhstan and worldwide. However, one of the pressing issues is improving the consumption pattern of food products, including vitamins and microelements. This article aims to develop a small‐scale processing line for safflower oil production in small enterprises of the cereal‐processing industry. The primary focus is on purifying safflower from impurities and husks, as well as compressing and centrifuging the oil raw material for high‐quality and biologically valuable product. The authors developed a processing line consisting of a sheller‐compress and a centrifuge of original constructions for separating husks from the kernel and compressing and centrifuging the oil raw material. The process combines husking, compressing, filtration, and sedimentation to ensure primary purification of plant oils and the removal of mechanical impurities. The production of safflower oil has become an urgent task due to its rich composition of vitamins and phospholipids. The newly developed processing line ensures the production of high‐quality safflower oil and has great potential for small enterprises in the cereal‐processing industry. The article highlights the importance of primary purification of plant oils and its impact on the quality of the final product.Practical applicationsThe following conclusions emerged from the research. The relevance of fat oil growing, including signs of increased popularity of safflower oil in Kazakhstan and in the world has been studied. Various types (husking, compressing, sedimentation, centrifuging and filtering) of primary purification of safflower and purification of oil from mechanical impurities have been investigated. The dependence of extraction of pressed safflower oil on the speed of rotation of the filter and settling rotor and the equipment structure itself has been studied. The sheller‐compress for purification of safflower has been developed to combine husking and compressing processes to increase the oil content of the processed oil raw material and the productivity of the processing equipment. The centrifuge is designed for primary purification of safflower oil from mechanical impurities, allowing to combine the sedimentation and filtering processes due to rotors and to obtain purified safflower oil. The problem of intensification of the purification process is characterized by the ratio of different defined parameters. As a result, optimum parameters were determined and a processing line was developed with the use of a sheller‐compress and a centrifuge with a filtering and pre.

Analysis of the Effect of Oil and Energy Production on Health and Education Expenditures in Kazakhstan with Autoregressive Distributed Lag Method

This study analyzes the impact of Kazakhstan's oil and energy production between 2000 and 2020 on government expenditures on health and education. Kazakhstan’s total crude oil and natural gas production, gas fuel production and distribution, domestic general government health expenditures (% of GDP), out-of-pocket health expenditures (% of total health expenditures), and government expenditures on education (% of GDP) are included. ARDL analysis showed that oil and natural gas production has an impact on government expenditures on health and education. Moreover, the boundary value proved that this effect exists in both the short and long terms. ARDL analysis also showed that oil and natural gas production has a short-term effect on out-of-pocket health expenditures, but not in the long term. These findings can be interpreted as there are scientific grounds to expect that the impact of energy production on government investments in education and health will continue in the future.

Hiring, Firing, Atomizing; Manpower Agencies and Precarious Labor in Kazakhstan's Oil Sector

AbstractThis paper analyses the influence that manpower agencies have on hiring practices and employment in Kazakhstan's oil sector. While influenced by the literature on transition from planned to market economy, this article's main argument is rooted in the understanding that labor precarization is produced through transnational capitalist practices. The influx of foreign capital through the investments of transnational companies (TNCs) also transplanted into Kazakhstan's labor market their antilabor policies and practices. This welcomed the presence of a new, dedicated actor for the establishment and curation of labor relations, namely manpower agencies, especially in the oil-rich region of Atyrau. This article argues there, the rationale for the presence of manpower agencies and the absence of trade unions is directly linked to the activities of TNCs. Manpower agencies have a decisive role in making employment and labor increasingly precarious in the oil sector. Manpower agencies function as a disaggregation force in the oil industry. Their presence stimulates a race to the bottom among workers, who have no other option but to accept precarious, unsafe, and underpaid jobs. Against this backdrop, the paper also offers a peek into “industrial gossip,” gathered during fieldwork in the Atyrau region. This more anthropological side of the argument highlights how the world of manpower agencies helps TNCs thrive by creating an atomized workforce.

Identifying the Key Risk Factors of Oil and Gas Mega Construction Projects in Kazakhstan

Purpose – The present study investigates the risk factors and their risk management in Kazakhstan oil and gas mega-construction projects. Design/methodology – Through a quantitative research approach, 384 were stratified into ten listed companies in Kazakhstan that were selected randomly. By stratification, 38.4 persons were selected for interviews from each company. Findings – The study findings through a statistical analysis revealed that internal risks and other significant risks were showing a moderate correlation with the performance of mega projects, while external risks were not affecting the performance with a weak correlation. Practical Implications – The present research is the initial step towards the risk identification process for producing strategic policies for risks and discussing their sources and consequences on performance. It is awareness for the workers and employees working in the mega constructions projects in Kazakhstan to know the possible risk factors for the project for the improvement in the performance. Theoretical Contribution –The study possesses theoretical implications for the academics and the researcher to know the risk factors of the projects, including internal, external and other significant risks in mega construction projects. It helps recognize the practical advantages and disadvantages of all the risk factors in the industry. The study would benefit future theoretical researchers examining other categories and their effect on other enterprises. Limitations/Originality/Value – The study has not used the theoretical framework for oil and gas mega-construction projects' risk factors. Thus, future researchers can work on applying and expanding the theory related to the risk factors impacting performance. Other factors affecting Kazakhstan's oil and gas projects are needed to focus on influencing the performance of the specific industry.

Батыс Қазақстан кен орындарының мұнайпласт суларынан оқшауланған микроорганизмдердің таксономиялық әртүрлілігін шетелдік мұнай кен орындарымен салыстыру

The article describes a variety of microorganisms, isolated from oil reservoir waters of different oilfields that are main objects in studying the micrоbiаl еnhаnсеd оil rесоvеrу (МЕОR) methods. Microorganisms can generate a number of potentially useful metabolites (biomass, biosurfactants, bioacid, biosolvents, biopolymer, biogas) for oil recovery. These metabolites help to reduce the oil’s viscosity and the interfacial friction between oil and water as a surfactant, increase its porosity and permeability. The article discusses the taxonomic biodiversity of microorganisms of oil-formation waters of three active wells of the “Zhetybai”, “Kulsary”, and “Akingen” fields and from different oil deposits across the world for several years. The significance of oil microorganisms, their research, the importance of MEOR processes, comparison of oil microbes between international and Western Kazakhstan oil reserves and future of these microorganisms are widely studied. The article provides information on microorganisms, such as Bacillus sp., Pseudomonas sp., that are more immune to adverse shifts in environmental changes. These genera produce surfactants, gases, alcohols, acids, and biopolymers. The similarity of the taxonomic biodiversity of oil microorganisms of oilfields in Western Kazakhstan and their prospects, as well as the use of microorganisms from the distant countries’ oilfields in the MEOR processes are analyzed.

Overview of the current situation of consumer demand for linseed oil in Kazakhstan

The growth in flaxseed oil consumption is due to the popularity of a healthy lifestyle, the ease of its use in nutrition, and the increased demand of food manufacturers. Flax has gained great popularity as an ingredient for various flour products, jelly, cereals, etc. The purpose of the study is to study the flax oil market in Kazakhstan, the problems and prospects for its development. Methods – industry information from open and closed professional databases, reporting of enterprises, information about their foreign economic activity, publications in scientific literature and the media, consumer and expert surveys, monitoring of wholesale and retail prices, aggregated into a single information array was analyzed. Results – a detailed systematic analysis of market offers of oil of this agricultural crop in the republic in 2017-2021 was carried out, growth rates of its main indicators, trade balance in physical and value terms, production of this type of food in the regions of the Republic of Kazakhstan are presented. External factors affecting consumption and distribution channels are considered. The impact of quarantine restrictions due to the coronovirus pandemic, which disrupted established economic ties along the entire chain from growing oilseeds to their processing, was noted. The main directions for the sale of raw materials and commercial products were identified. Conclusions – the Kazakhstani linen sub-complex in a short period entered the top three world leaders. In the medium term, domestic exporters have the opportunity to strengthen their positions by market structuring and branding their products. It is necessary to carry out indu stry research, including development of the latest formulations of oil and fat products with the involvement of processing facilities; increasing the area under flax cultivation, applying the best farming practices that ensure preservation and increase in the fertility of farmland.

EVALUATION OF MELTING PROPERTIES FOR PARAFFIN PREDICTION IN THE MULTI SOLID SOLUTION (MSS) MODEL

This article presents the calculation and modification of melting properties for a certain Kazakh oil for the subsequent calculation of the Multisolid model. The bulk of crude oil in Kazakhstan contains heavy hydrocarbons that precipitate as a solid paraffin phase at low temperatures. The deposition of deposited paraffin on the pipe walls is one of the complex flow assurance problems that causes a decrease and complete blockage of oil rates due to a decrease in the flow cross-sectional area in pipelines. In addition, above ground facilities require higher power consumption and equipment failure due to paraffin plugs. Wax precipitation also increases the viscosity of the oil mixture, resulting in an increase in the energy requirement for transporting the crude oil. The main purpose of this study is to investigate melting properties and their influence on predictive wax deposition. The solution of the set goal is achieved by solving the problems of modifying and adapting existing thermodynamic models for Kazakhstani oils. At the moment, one of the main limitations of existing models is their applicability to a wide range of crude oil types. While this modified paraffin forecasting model will focus on Kazakh crude oil. As a result, modified equations have been developed to determine melting properties, namely melting point, pour point and enthalpy. The obtained results of the absolute average deviation showed the effectiveness of using the proposed correlation for measuring the pour point and melting point for Kazakhstani oils.

Технологическая линия для производства сафлорового масла в минипроизводстве

This article is devoted to the development of a small-sized technological line for the production of safflower oil in small enterprises of the grain processing industry. The relevance of the oil and fat industry is outlined, including signs of the increased popularity of safflower oil in Kazakhstan and in the world. Achieving a high quality of the final product directly contributes to the urification of safflower from impurities and husks. The main disadvantages of the known lines are the bulky design, significant material costs and energy costs which make it impossible to use the equipment in a mini-oil production; difficulty in operation. To solve this problem, a technological line was proposed as part of a peeler-press of an original design for separating the husk from the kernel and pressing oilseed raw materials, which ensures the production of a high-quality and biologically valuable product. The proposed technological line for the production of safflower oil is to reduce material and energy costs in the conditions of mini-production of obtaining oil by pressing, increasing ease of operation without reducing the quality of the resulting oil. In addition, the technological and schematic diagrams are given, the characteristics of the main components of the equipment and the principle of its operation are presented.

Review of Important Aspects and Performances of Polymer Flooding versus ASP Flooding

Polymer flooding is a promising and effective chemical Enhanced Oil Recovery (cEOR) technology. Polymer flooding is especially cost-effective, whereas other chemical flooding methods, such as Alkaline Surfactant Polymer (ASP), are not profitable and cause serious on-site problems (scaling, uptime decrease, injectivity is-sue, hard-breaking emulsions). Recent papers in the literature mention ~30 field polymer floods. Most of them reported technical success. Although, polymer flooding has been applied ~60 years and it still requires further investigation to provide improvements. Thus, this paper describes important aspects and performances during polymer flooding based on a review of recent projects, combined with the Kalamkas field experience. A comprehensive literature review examines the applicability range in temperature, brine salinity, water source selection, oil properties, formation type, and permeability. Water source selection has an essential role during pilot/field project design and is one of the most responsible technical and economic success decisions. Polymer slug design has been extensively analyzed especially for the high viscosity oil fields; the selected oil/polymer viscosity ratio was usually much less than one. We placed significant emphasis on clarifying ob-served high polymer injectivities. We conducted feasibility studies of some reported ASP floods to clarify that this technology is not profitable at current oil prices. Also, we performed TAN analysis of three Kazakh-stan oil fields for screening of ASP flood.

Field test of herder and controlled burning of spilled oil in Kazakhstan

ABSTRACT Recent years have seen renewed interest in the viability of using herding chemicals in conjunction with in-situ burning. NCOC, an operator in the shallow north Caspian Sea, undertook herder research as an extension to studies performed under the Arctic Response Technology Joint Industry Programme (JIP). The purpose was to investigate the feasibility of using herders as part of their response toolkit. Laboratory tests were performed in Kazakhstan on weathered Kashagan export crude oil, using two herders listed on the US NCP Product Schedule. Results were positive and it was considered that a reasonable size test spill under realistic conditions was required to verify laboratory work. In November 2018 a field trial was undertaken in the boat basin at Damba in western Kazakhstan. A volume of 400 litres of artificially weathered Kashagan crude was pumped onto the water surface and allowed to spread. Air and water temperatures were just above freezing and a small amount of ice was present due to overnight low temperatures. The test was recorded by an unmanned aerial vehicle, using thermal IR and 4K video. After the oil had been allowed to spread out to be <1 mm, i.e. too thin to sustain combustion, a small boat was used to spray Siltech OP-40 herder around the periphery of the oil. After less than five minutes the effect of the herder became apparent. The oiled area was observed to begin contracting. A member of the boat crew successfully placed an igniter into the thick oil. A plume of black smoke was produced and the oil burned vigorously with flames of 2 to 3 metres high for approximately 8 minutes. After the burning had finished a visual inspection showed a relatively small quantity of oil residue. Pre- and post-environmental monitoring of the test site was undertaken. Based on the success of the test, the next steps are to develop a formal methodology for the inclusion of herders in the list of approved oil spill treatment products. It will then be possible to incorporate the technique into contingency plans using NEBA/SIMA justification. This will have the potential to improve the response options and speed of response to incidents in broken ice or open waters.

Современное состояние и воздействие нефтегазовой отрасли на окружающую среду Казахстана

The article considers the current state of the oil and gas industry of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the volume of oil and gas production in recent years. Also, the impact of the oil and gas industry on land resources and the environment in General. It is investigated how harmful the oil and gas industry is to the environment, and some methods of cleaning oil pollution of soils and soils are reflected. The article shows the relevance of environmental and economic problems of the oil and gas complex of the Republic of Kazakhstan and possible ways to solve them, analyzes the role of the oil industry in the political and social development of the country. It is noted that the oil and gas complex has specific features that increase the intensity of man-made impact in environmental pollution. Today, one of the most pressing environmental problems is environmental pollution in oil and gas production areas. The ways of solving environmental safety at oil and gas fields are studied, taking into account the qualitative composition of Kazakhstan's oil, the latest innovative solutions to reduce emissions of toxic elements into the environment during the extraction and processing of hydrocarbons.

Value co‐creation between foreign firms and indigenous small‐ and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) in Kazakhstan's oil and gas industry: The role of information technology spillovers

AbstractStudy related to the extractive sector still plays a limited role in the mainstream international business (IB) and management literature, with even less focus on ongoing liberalization and digitalization in the industry. This article was motivated by the question of how collaboration between foreign and indigenous oil and gas (O&G) companies can support small‐sized and medium‐sized indigenous technological development. The main contribution of this article is the development of a model that explains how different actors can cocreate value in the ecosystem of the O&G industry through digital technologies. A three‐stage qualitative–interpretive method based on interviews with industry experts was adopted to build three vignette case studies. This article proposes what companies and the government could do to increase the competitiveness of the local economy, diversify from O&G into high technological industries, and support industrial development through information and communication technologies (ICT).

Green governance and sustainability reporting in Kazakhstan's oil, gas, and mining sector: Evidence from a former USSR emerging economy

Based on essence of the stakeholder and resource dependence theories, this study examines relationships between corporate board characteristics and sustainability reporting (SR) in oil, gas and mining companies in Kazakhstan. All data on board characteristics and SR were collected manually from annual reports, investment memorandums, sustainability reports, and corporate social responsibility (CSR) reports, while financial data were extracted from financial statements of the companies. The results show that board characteristics such as board size and gender diversity are the most important factors in determining the scope and quality of sustainability information. The findings of the study will be useful for investors, policy makers, regulators and practitioners, as they suggest that effective board characteristics could improve corporate governance (CG) practices, which, in turn, could lead to more transparent and better corporate reporting practices in emerging economies generally and the 15 former USSR countries specifically.