NextChem signs agreement with KMG Aero for SAF development in Kazakhstan

NextChem and KazMunayGas-Aero have signed an agreement during the Forum Kazakhstan-Italy held in Milan Oct. 7-9 to collaborate on advancing energy-transition initiatives, leveraging NextChem’s proprietary-technology portfolio and process-engineering capabilities.

These initiatives aim to contribute to the decarbonization and upgrade of Kazakhstan’s industry and assets, in particular for the production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and low-carbon hydrogen through CO2 capture, as well as for the implementation of circular solutions.

NextChem and KMG Aero will evaluate the feasibility of development initiatives in the country, involving Tecnimont for the assessment of engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) activities when projects advance to the execution phase.

The memorandum of understanding was signed by Ildar Shamsutdinov, the general director of KMG Aero, and Alessandro Bernini, CEO of Maire, in the presence of Arman Shakkaliev, the minister of trade and integration of the Republic of Kazakhstan, and Attilio Fontana, the president of Italy’s Lombardy region, among several officials from both countries.

“As one of the world’s leaders in the energy space, Kazakhstan is a strategic and valuable partner for us,” Bernini said. “In fact, the combination of the country’s resources with our group’s technologies and engineering know-how represents a unique opportunity to drive the global shift towards a sustainable and low-carbon economy. We are eager to make this journey together.”

NextChem said it is poised to drive sustainable innovation through its proprietary technologies for SAF such as NX SAF BIO and NX Circular, a waste-to-X solution that transforms waste into valuable chemical resources, as well as NX AdWinHydrogen and NX AdWinMethanol, innovative solutions for large-scale production of low-carbon hydrogen and methanol from natural gas through CO2 capture.

NextChem also said it is providing cutting-edge circular technologies including NX Replast, an advanced solution for plastic upcycling.