Kazakhstan boosts oil exports via Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline

This year, Kazakhstan plans to export 1.5 million tons of oil via the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline, according to Energy Minister Almasadam Satkaliyev, who attended a meeting with members of parliament. Additionally, the country intends to expand its crude oil exports to 20 million tons per year, although no timeline for this expansion has been provided. 

«Due to increasing oil production and the commissioning of new maritime projects in the medium term, we are working on developing additional export routes. The BTC pipeline is currently one of the most promising options, as both Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan are interested in gradually expanding Kazakhstani oil deliveries through this route,» Satkaliyev noted.

He also revealed that Kazakhstan wants to launch oil exports via the Baku-Supsa pipeline (from Azerbaijan to Georgia) with a capacity of 5 million tons. Potential supply volumes could reach 3 million tons annually. So far, the potential use of this route is a matter of discussions and negotiations. The Eskene-Kuryk pipeline construction project is also under consideration, with an expected capacity ranging from 20 to 30 million tons per year.

Over the first 10 months of the year, 1.2 million tons of Kazakhstani oil were transported through the BTC pipeline. Initially, the crude is shipped to the Port of Aktau, where it is then transported across the Caspian Sea by oil tankers. The oil is exported to Italy, the Netherlands, France, Greece, Turkey and other countries.

Kazakhstan’s overall oil export plan for 2024 targets 68.8 million tons, which is 78% of the total production of 88.4 million tons. The main volume, 55.4 million tons, is to be transported via the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC). Additionally, 8.6 million tons will likely be exported through the Atyrau-Samara route, 1.1 million tons to China and 3.6 million tons to the Port of Aktau.