Attacks on the Caspian pipeline force Kazakhstan to increase its exports to China

Kazakhstan intends to increase the capacity of the two oil pipelines to China, Kenkiyak-Atyrau and Kenkiyak-Kumkola, in response to drone attacks on the infrastructure of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) and the maritime terminal in the port of Novorossiisk, which affect oil deliveries. The Kazakh company KazMunayGas announced that it will increase the capacity of the Kenkiyak-Atyrau pipeline from 6 million tons per year to 15 million tons and that of the Kenkiyak-Kumkola pipeline from 10 million tons to 20 million tons, following discussions with China National Petroleum Corporation.

This expansion will help Kazakhstan reduce its dependence on the CPC pipeline, which has been affected by Ukrainian attacks. Expert Rashid Jaksikov emphasizes that Kazakhstan should have considered expanding deliveries to China earlier, given recent geopolitical developments. The expansion of the pipelines, built between 2002 and 2009, could be achieved in a relatively short time.