Almaty, Kazakhstan, - on June 30, 2005 Citigroup and HSBC signed a EUR45 million 13 year loan agreement with Intergas Central Asia, a subsidiary of KazTransGas, the National Gas Transportation monopoly of Kazakhstan. The transaction became one of the longest-tenor loans ever extended by commercial banks to a Kazakhstan company.

The loan is supported by Hermes, a German Export Credit Agency, and fully guaranteed by KazTransGas. The loan will finance purchasing and installation of Man Turbo AG equipment at Opornaya CAC-4 gas compressor station in western Kazakhstan. Citigroup and HSBC will also extend to Intergas Central Asia a 7 year loan in the amount of EUR15 million to finance an advance payment for Man Turbo AG equipment.

KazTransGas is a gas transportation subsidiary of National Oil and Gas Company KazMunaiGas. KazMunaiGas is the only vertically integrated oil and gas company of Kazakhstan.