Kazakhstan looks for alternative routes for its oil exports
Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) has reached mechanical readiness for pumping the increased volumes of oil from Kazakhstan, Nikolay Gorban, CPC General Director, said at a working meeting with RoK Prime Minister held on August 4, 2023, in Astana, according to CPC.
At the beginning of the meeting, the General Director informed the Head of the Government about the incident that occurred near the water area of CPC Marine Terminal related to destruction of the non-crew surface vessel by efforts of the Russian Navy. Nikolay Gorban emphasized that oil offloading to tankers was carried out in a regular mode, equipment was not damaged. They also discussed security measures additionally taken by the Consortium members to ensure uninterrupted oil transshipment at the CPC Marine Terminal.
The parties discussed completion of the Debottlenecking Program (DBNP) by the Consortium aimed at the increase in the throughput capacity of the Tengiz-Novorossiysk oil pipeline up to 82 million tons of hydrocarbons per year at the point of tanker loading. There was also considered the issue of competitiveness of alternative routes for oil exports from the Republic of Kazakhstan to world markets in comparison with the Tengiz-Novorossiysk oil pipeline.
As IAA PortNews reported earlier, the Consortium's pipeline system can transport approximately 72.5 mln tons of oil per year from Kazakhstan territory and up to 83 mln tons of oil per year via the Russian Federation. In 2022, Kazakhstan supplied 52.2 million tons to the Consortium's pipeline system, CPC exports totaled 58.7 million tons. Caspian Pipeline Consortium earlier forecasted that oil transportation by the pipeline system would total about 66 million tons in 2023.
The CPC Pipeline System is one of CIS largest energy investment projects that involves foreign capital. The length of the Tengiz – Novorossiysk pipeline is 1,511 km. This route moves over two thirds of all Kazakhstan export oil along with crude from Russian fields including those in the Caspian region. CPC Marine Terminal is equipped with three Single Point Moorings (SPM), allowing tankers to be loaded safely at significant distance offshore, including in poor weather conditions
CPC Shareholders: Federal Agency for State Property Management represented by Transneft (trustee) – 24%, CPC Company – 7%, KazMunayGas – 19%; Kazakhstan Pipeline Ventures LLC – 1.75%, Chevron Caspian Pipeline Consortium Company – 15%, LUKARCO B.V. - 12.5%, Mobil Caspian Pipeline Company - 7.5%, Rosneft-Shell Caspian Ventures Limited - 7.5%, BG Overseas Holding Limited - 2%, Eni International N.A. N.V. - 2%, and Oryx Caspian Pipeline LLC – 1.75%.