OREANDA-NEWS. July 10, 2013. Kazakh Prime Minister Serik Akhmetov has introduced new head of the Ministry of Oil and Gas to the ministry's staff.

"According to the Presidential decrees, Sauat Mynbayev has been relieved of duties as Minister of Oil and Gas in connection with his transfer to another job. Uzakbay Karabalin has been appointed Minister of Oil and Gas," Akhmetov said.

"As Minister of Oil and Gas Sayat Mynbayev has made a great contribution to the development of Kazakhstan's oil and gas industry, modernization of refineries and expansion of Kazakhstan's participation in large international projects," Serik Akhmetov said addressing the staff of the ministry.

The Prime Minister thanked Mynbayev for work and wished success in his future work.

Introducing Uzakbay Karabalin to the staff the Prime Minister noted his experience in the oil and gas sector of the country.

"Over the years, Uzakbay Karabalin served as deputy minister of oil and gas, vice minister of energy and mineral resources, head of the national company "KazMunayGas". I am confident that he will justify high confidence of President Nursultan Nazarbayev," Prime Minister Akhmetov said.

Karabalin stressed that the ministry "will make every effort to achieve the objectives set by the President in oil and gas industry."

Serik Akhmetov also outlined a number of tasks facing the Ministry of Oil and Gas.

"The ministry and the oil and gas industry as a whole face big challenges. It is the creation and development of a new petrochemical sector, increase of local content, training. These tasks, of course, are difficult, but, the oil and gas industry employs good modern managers. I wish the ministry, its leadership success in achieving the objectives," the Prime Minister concluded.