Kazakhstan lifted gasoline export ban in June

MOSCOW- Kazakhstan has restarted gasoline exports this month after a five-year ban, Energy Minister Kanat Bozumbayev said on Thursday.

"Gasoline export volumes are expected at 60,000-70,000 tonnes for regular gasoline and 10,000-15,000 tonnes of premium gasoline," he said.

Kazakh producers are currently discussing supply contracts with foreign partners, Bozumbayev added.

Kazakhstan suspended gasoline exports in 2014 due to the shortages of the product in domestic market. Due to a rise in production, exports can resume. 

Kazakh refineries have increased gasoline production due to modernisation efforts and output now exceeds domestic needs by 20-30 percent, the minister said.

In January-May this year Kazakhstan's gasoline production increased by 14 percent year-on-year to 1.593 million tonnes, according to energy ministry data.

(Reporting by Alla Afanasyeva, writing by Olga Yagova; editing by David Evans) ((Olga.Yagova@thomsonreuters.com;))