Recently, Ukraine has increased attacks on Russian oil facilities and oil tankers in the Black Sea, attempting to cut off Russia’s energy supply and exports. This has had a serious impact on Kazakhstan, which exports oil through Russian ports.
According to a report by Russian International News Agency on August 10th, due to Ukrainian drone attacks hindering the oil exports of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium, Kazakhstan is adjusting its oil export routes to increase the amount of oil it transports to China.
Kazakhstan's Ministry of Energy said: "The Ministry has carried out efforts to reallocate export volumes. Some oil shipments have been directed through other routes, especially the amount transported via the Aktobe-Samara pipeline has increased, and this also boosts the supply chain to China. For other export destinations, the volume of transportation remains at the average planned levels."
The Caspian Pipeline Consortium is responsible for handling about 80% of Kazakhstan’s oil exports. With an annual export volume exceeding 70 million tons, it serves as the main pipeline for Kazakhstan’s oil exports. The pipelines managed by the Caspian Pipeline Consortium have a total length of over 1,500 kilometers, connecting the oil fields in western Kazakhstan and the Russian oil fields on the Caspian shelf with the Russian port of Novorossisk.
Russian Novorossisk crude oil loading terminal - Photo
The main shareholders of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium include several international oil companies, such as Russian Oil Pipeline Transport Company, Kazakhstan National Oil and Gas Company, Chevron Corporation, Lukoil, ExxonMobil, and others.
Ukraine has recently intensified its attacks on energy facilities in Russia. The oil infrastructure of the Novorossiysk Port and the Caspian Pipeline Consortium has been frequently targeted by drones, and oil tankers navigating the Black Sea have also been attacked multiple times. According to the International News Agency, four oil tankers were attacked consecutively between July 17th and 20th alone.
On July 20th, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan issued a statement condemning the attack on the oil tanker, stating that such actions constitute an "inacceptable violation" of Kazakhstan's economic interests.
The attack has also raised concerns among the United States. On August 8, Bloomberg reported citing a U.S. official, stating that the United States had facilitated an agreement whereby Ukraine promised not to attack the infrastructure of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium or target non-Russian vessels heading to oil ports, provided that these vessels were not subject to Ukrainian sanctions and did not carry Russian goods.
