ASTANA – Kazakhstan resumed crude oil exports through the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) after the consortium restarted accepting oil from shippers and resumed loading operations at its marine terminal in Russia’s Black Sea port of Novorossiysk, the Kazakh Energy Ministry announced on July 27.
Photo credit: cpc.ru
According to the ministry, tanker loading is currently underway at two of the CPC’s single point moorings. The SEAMAJESTY and MILOS tankers are both loading crude supplied by Tengizchevroil, the operator of Kazakhstan’s largest oil field.
The resumption of oil intake enables producing companies to restore deliveries into the CPC pipeline system and restart export operations through the marine terminal. The ministry said operations at the terminal will continue based on ongoing assessments of the security situation and in compliance with all necessary safety requirements.
The Energy Ministry added that it remains in constant contact with CPC management, major oil shippers and other stakeholders, and will continue coordinating efforts to ensure the uninterrupted transportation of Kazakh oil.
The announcement follows a temporary suspension of loading operations at the CPC marine terminal last week, which prompted Kazakhstan to reduce oil production as a technological measure to avoid filling storage facilities after crude intake into the pipeline system was restricted.
The CPC route handles the vast majority of Kazakhstan’s crude oil exports. The suspension came after drone attacks on civilian vessels in the Black Sea, which Kazakhstan condemned as a threat to international energy security. Oil shipments have now resumed as the consortium restores normal export operations while maintaining enhanced safety measures.
