Kazakhstan increases oil transportation via Atyrau-Samara, to China in July amid disruptions in CPC operations - Energy Ministry
ASTANA. Aug 10 (Interfax) - Kazakhstan reoriented part of its oil exports via alternative routes in July due to disruptions in the operations of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC), the Kazakh Energy Ministry told Interfax.
"The ministry carried out work to redistribute export flows. Part of the oil volumes were reoriented to other operating routes. In particular, an increase in transportation along the Atyrau-Samara route and an increase in supplies to China were recorded," the ministry said.
For other export destinations, transportation remained at the level of average planned indicators, the ministry said.
Previously, tankers were repeatedly subjected to UAV attacks in the waters of the CPC marine terminal. In the period from July 17 to 20, the tankers Nelsa, Asia, Nissos Ios and Nordic Zenith were attacked. On July 20, the consortium reported the suspension of oil shipments at the marine terminal, and later was forced to suspend oil intake into the system as well. Because of this, Kazakhstan had to reduce its level of oil production.
On July 27, the Kazakh Energy Ministry announced that oil transportation via the Tengiz-Novorossiysk pipeline and shipments at the marine terminal had resumed.
On July 30, the CPC again suspended shipments after the tanker Nissos Sifnos, under the flag of the Marshall Islands, was attacked and caught fire during loading. The shipper was Tengizchevroil LLP. At the same time, the tanker Marathi, under the flag of the Isle of Man, which was proceeding to receive oil, was attacked 6 nautical miles from the CPC marine terminal.
The CPC ensures the transportation of oil from three major Kazakh fields - Tengiz, Kashagan and Karachaganak. Transshipment amounted to around 70.5 million tonnes in 2025, with more than 75% coming from foreign shippers, among which the largest are Tengizchevroil (Chevron Corp. ), ExxonMobil , JSC KazMunayGas, Eni and Shell (SPB: RDS.A). The transshipment forecast for 2026 is 72 million tonnes of oil.
The CPC pipeline links oil fields in western Kazakhstan and Russian fields on the Caspian Sea shelf with the marine terminal in Novorossiysk on the Black Sea. The length of the route is 1,500 km. It serves as the primary export route for Kazakh crude, with Kazakh volumes making up more than 80% of the system's total throughput. The pipeline can transport around 72.5 million tonnes of oil annually from Kazakhstan and up to 83 million tonnes per year across Russian territory.
The shareholders of the CPC are the Russian Federation (31%, comprised of 24% managed by Transneft and 7% on its balance sheet); Kazakhstan (20.75%, represented by KazMunayGas at 19% and Kazakhstan Pipeline Ventures LLC at 1.75%); Chevron Caspian Pipeline Consortium Company (15%); Lukoil International GmbH (12.5%); Mobil Caspian Pipeline Company (7.5%); Rosneft-Shell Caspian Ventures Limited (7.5%); BG Overseas Holding Limited (2%); Eni International N.A. N.V. (2%); and Oryx Caspian Pipeline LLC (1.75%).
