The regular meeting of the oil and gas industry committee of the Presidium of NCE RK "Atameken" was chaired by Daniyar Abulgazin, with the participation of Deputy Chairman of the Board of NCE RK "Atameken" Eldos Ramazanov as well as representatives of the business.

The General Director of the Association "KAZENERGY" Aset Magauov reported on the current situation on the execution of protocol instructions and on the current activities of the Association.

The meeting examined the problem of axial loads on gasoline tank trucks and gas carriers. In accordance with current legislation, it is prohibited to transport a shared load by vehicles whose axle load exceeds one ton. Vehicles transporting petroleum products, just fall under this category.

Carriers asked the Ministry of Investment and Development for preferential treatment.

“First of all, we face a security issue. After all, the "underutilization" of fuel trucks is unacceptable and may lead to a tipping of the vehicle. If you look at European countries, then they are forbidden to operate tank trucks carrying less than 80% of cargo. “Atameken” is working on this issue with the authorized body and keeps the problem under control, ” Yeldos Ramazanov emphasized.

However, in the Ministry of Investment and Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan, entrepreneurs do not meet, citing – “the need to respect equal rights and opportunities for all businessmen in the country”.

“The average fare, according to the Tax Code and depending on the axle overload, is 1000 tenge per 1 km, the average distance from the tank farm to gas stations in the regions is 200 km, and it turns out you need to pay about 200,000 tenge per flight, which greatly affects the profitability of Gas stations, ”said Bolat Aoutaev - Chairman of the Board of the Kazakhstan Fuel Association.

Moreover, a draft law on transport issues is currently being considered in the Majilis, where it is proposed to toughen the transport requirements and exclude the issuance of a special permit for vehicles exceeding axle loads. The state agency proposes to expand the list of issued special permits and include vehicles transporting liquid cargo in tanks. The Kazakhstan Fuel Association proposes when weighing gasoline tank trucks and gas tankers to take into account only the total mass without mass on each axle.

“Committee supports this proposal. This will reduce the financial losses of gas stations and gas retailers and will reduce the cost of special permits. There is a real problem, we ask the NCE to continue to control the issue and provide assistance, ”said Daniyar Abulgazin.

Summarizing, Daniyar Abulgazin stressed that the issue of security is paramount today.

Also, during the meeting, the question of lifting the ban on the sale of low-alcohol beverages at the gas station, which has been in force since 2014, was raised. According to the initiators, alcohol is not a co-product necessary for the operation of the car and allegedly creates additional factors that contribute to the use of alcohol by drivers behind the wheel.

The Kazakhstan Fuel Association believes that the current ban has nothing to do with the struggle for sobriety. After all, in ordinary stores along the route, alcohol is sold in full assortment, and at roadside kiosks it is offered for bottling.

“After the ban was introduced, sales of not only alcohol, but also products as a whole, fell, since it is profitable for the buyer to purchase all the goods in one place,” said Bolat Auetaev.

At present, income from the sale of goods in stores at gas stations, according to KTA, brings 10-15% of the total profitability. For comparison, in Europe, sales of non-fuel goods make, according to various estimates, from 60 to 70% of the profit of gas stations.

Thus, the non-fuel business network of gas stations, with proper implementation and support can bring the same profit as the sale of fuel, and even exceed the sales of the main product. Such approach allows European gas stations not to increase the marginal value of fuel and lubricants and restrain their price growth.

In this regard, NCE RK "Atameken" appealed to the Ministry of Finance with a proposal to consider the possibility of gas stations to sell beverages with low alcohol content.

“We need to understand that the business itself is categorically against drinking and driving. If desired, the driver will travel 200 meters further and buy alcohol in a nearby store. But then why do we limit gas stations, if he has the same outlet, which is equipped with a cash register and a terminal? The NCE supports the business, today the shops at the gas station are high-grade supermarkets with consumer goods, ”said Eldos Ramazanov.

“It may be worthwhile to adopt the experience of developed countries, where they do not prohibit the sale of alcohol at gas stations, but introduce temporary restrictions, price thresholds and other measures that do not affect the profitability of the business,” Daniyar Abulgazin made a proposal.