Kazakh energy minister says hoping first 20,000-tonne batch of Kazakh oil to be shipped to Germany in Jan

ASTANA. Jan 11 (Interfax) - Kazakh Energy Minister Bolat Akchulakov has said he is hoping that the first batch of Kazakh oil in the amount of 20,000 tonnes will be shipped to Germany in January.

"The first batch will tentatively amount to 20,000 tonnes of oil. That's a monthly amount," Akchulakov told reporters on Wednesday.

In his words, the shipment was due in January.

"We were awaiting an official confirmation from Russian colleagues that it would be let through the Russian territory. We already have an oral confirmation," Akchulakov told reporters in response to a question whether Russia had allowed Kazakh oil to be transported to Germany through the Druzhba pipeline.

Kazakhstan is planning to export 1.5 million tonnes of oil to Germany in 2023 and may enlarge the supplies to 7 million tonnes, Akchulakov said.

"The overall supplies may reach 1.5 million tonnes during the year," Akchulakov told reporters in response to a question about the planned oil exports to Germany in 2023.

In his words, Kazakhstan is capable of exporting 6 million to 7 million tonnes of oil in that direction.

"Our maximum capacity is 6 million to 7 million tonnes a year," Akchulakov said.