Gazpromneft's Kazakhstan operations hit by US sanctions

In the final days of his presidency, US President Joe Biden implemented a fresh wave of sanctions targeting Russian companies operating abroad.

Among the entities affected was Gazpromneft’s network of petrol stations in Kazakhstan, which has been added to the US Department of the Treasury sanctions list, Caliber.Az reports.

The US sanctions package includes more than 30 Russian oilfield service companies, with particular focus on Gazpromneft's operations in Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Serbia, and Luxembourg. The sanctions have directly impacted Gazpromneft Kazakhstan LLC, a Kazakhstan-based Gazpromneft subsidiary, which is involved in the wholesale and retail distribution of oil products produced at refineries in Kazakhstan and the Omsk refinery in Russia.

Gazpromneft Kazakhstan operates a network of 78 petrol stations across Kazakhstan, including locations in major cities such as Astana, Almaty, Shymkent, and Karaganda, as well as in regional areas like Turkestan and Saryagash. The company provides fuel and other oil products to both wholesale and retail customers in these regions.

In addition to Gazpromneft, other entities have been added to the sanctions lists, including the commercial manager of the Oxis vessel, Umbra Navi Shipmanagement Corp., which has been implicated in transporting oil.

“The United States is taking sweeping action against Russia’s key source of revenue for funding its brutal and illegal war against Ukraine,” said Secretary of the Treasury Janet L. Yellen. “This action builds on, and strengthens, our focus since the beginning of the war on disrupting the Kremlin’s energy revenues, including through the G7+ price cap launched in 2022. With today’s actions, we are ratcheting up the sanctions risk associated with Russia’s oil trade, including shipping and financial facilitation in support of Russia’s oil exports.”

The Department of State is also taking steps to reduce Russia’s energy revenues by blocking two active liquefied natural gas projects, a large Russian oil project, and third-country entities supporting Russia’s energy exports. State is also designating numerous Russia-based oilfield service providers and senior officials of State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom.

By Vafa Guliyeva