Astana doesn't rule out oil export to Hungary via Druzhba pipeline, there's technical capability - Kazakh Energy Ministry

ASTANA. Sept 8 (Interfax) - Kazakhstan, which sent a trial batch of its oil to Hungary via Croatia in summer, does not rule out the possibility of oil supplies there via the Druzhba pipeline, Kazakh Energy Minister Yerlan Akkenzhenov told Interfax.

"A technical capability exists [to supply Kazakh oil to Hungary via the Druzhba pipeline], KazMunayGas is discussing the commercial conditions, we don't have such function in the ministry. All issues concerning further cooperation and commercial issues, issues concerning an increase of volumes need to be addressed to KazMunayGas," Akkenzhenov told the agency on the sidelines of the joint meeting of the parliament chambers.

Besides, there is a technical capability of increasing supplies of Kazakh oil to Germany via Druzhba, "but everything depends on the commercial talks between the companies," the minister said. "As a ministry, we are responsible for policies and technical capabilities, naturally, we can provide that," Akkenzhenov said.

According to earlier reports, KazMunayGas supplied the first batch of oil in an amount of 85,000 tonnes to Hungary via Croatia as part of expanding cooperation with MOL Group. The route included sea transportation from the Novorossiysk port to Croatia's Omisalj port. Further transportation from the port to the final destination, the Szazhalombatta oil processing plant in Hungary, was envisaged via the Adria oil pipeline, which is run by the Croatian company Jadranski naftovod (JANAF).

Kazakhstan has supplied oil to Germany via the trunk oil pipeline system Druzhba since 2023. KazMunayGas said Kazakhstan plans to ship 1.5 million tonnes of oil to Germany via Druzhba in 2025. The same volume, 1.5 million tonnes, was exported in this direction in 2024. It later became known from KazMunayGas's materials that it is planned to bring the supply volume to Germany to two million tonnes in 2025. According to Interfax's calculations, 1.277 million tonnes of Kazakh oil was exported to this country in January-August 2025.