Boost in Kazakh oil shipments to flow through Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan pipeline

In December, Kazakhstan plans to boost its oil shipments through the Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline following a reduction in capacity on its main export route, the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC), caused by damage from a Ukrainian drone strike.

According to Caliber.Az, five industry sources confirmed the plan to Reuters.

The CPC pipeline, which carries over 80% of Kazakhstan’s oil and more than 1% of global supply, temporarily suspended operations after a pier at the Black Sea terminal near the Russian port of Novorossiysk was damaged last Saturday. Operations resumed on December 1 via the pipeline’s only operational single point mooring (SPM), allowing exports to continue, though at reduced capacity.

Kazakhstan intends to increase shipments from the Caspian port of Aktau to the BTC pipeline to approximately 188,000 metric tons (47,000 barrels per day) in December, roughly 30% higher than in November, according to two sources. Of this total, 170,000 tons will come from Tengizchevroil (TCO) and 18,000 tons from the Kashagan field.

Industry sources noted that repeated drone attacks on Russian refineries and export facilities have caused congestion in Russia’s pipeline system, limiting its ability to handle additional shipments from Kazakhstan.

Kazakh oil is transported by tankers from Aktau to Baku, primarily from the Tengiz and Kashagan fields, and then flows through the BTC pipeline to the Turkish port of Ceyhan.

The Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) is a 1,510-kilometre oil pipeline and export system that transports crude from major Kazakh fields, including Tengiz, Kashagan, and Karachaganak, to a marine terminal at Novorossiysk on the Black Sea. It serves as the main export corridor for roughly 80% of Kazakhstan’s oil.

Prior to this recent incident, the CPC system had already experienced a significant disruption: on February 17, 2025, its main pumping station, the Kropotkinskaya Pump Station, was struck by multiple UAVs, damaging critical equipment and forcing operations through a temporary bypass.

By Tamilla Hasanova