Kazakhstan continues a search for a strategic partner to build a polyethylene plant in the former Soviet country’s Atyrau region, the energy minister said.

The project envisages construction of the plant with an annual capacity of 1,250 tonnes.

Minister Nurlan Nogayev said that main criteria for finding a strategic partner for the project would be “availability of licensed technology, access to raw materials, providing guarantees for sales markets and financial resources.”

He said that negotiations have begun with Chevron Phillips Chemical which would center on the blending of marketing and technology.

Nogayev added that the related project to be implemented together with “Tengizchevroil” was being considered. The project envisaged construction of a gas separation unit with a capacity of 9.7 billion cubic metres.

Japan Gasoline Co. Holdings Corporation is working on the project’s estimates.

It aims to complete work by the end of this year.