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Kazakhstan to redirect oil via two routes amid suspension of transit to Germany

28 April 2026 12:02 (UTC +04:00)

"Kazakhstan will reroute 260 thousand tons of oil in May to alternative routes — toward the port of Ust-Luga and the system of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) — due to the suspension of transportation via the Druzhba pipeline system," said Asel Serikpayeva, advisor to Kazakhstan’s Minister of Energy and official representative of the ministry, Interfax reports.

“In connection with adjustments to the May 2026 transit schedule toward Germany (to the Schwedt refinery) via the Druzhba system, the Ministry of Energy announces a planned redistribution of oil export volumes amounting to 260 thousand tons,” Serikpayeva said.

According to her, these volumes will be sent via alternative, technically established routes: 100 thousand tons to the port of Ust-Luga, and 160 thousand tons to the CPC system.

The minister’s advisor added that the change in flow direction has been agreed with shippers and is operational in nature.

“We emphasize that changing transportation routes does not affect the implementation of the annual oil production plan. The existing transport infrastructure allows Kazakhstan to fully ensure stable exports and uninterrupted supply of crude to global markets,” Serikpayeva stressed.

Earlier, Kazakhstan’s Energy Minister Yerlan Akkenzhenov stated that through unofficial channels he had received information that Russia would halt the transit of Kazakh oil to Germany via the Druzhba system in May.

The minister noted that by the end of 2026, Kazakhstan had planned to send approximately 3 million tons of oil to Germany via the Druzhba pipeline.

Note that Kazakhstan also transports its oil to global markets via the Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan pipeline.