Kazakhstan has revised its oil production plan for 2026 from 98 million to 96 million tons due to the impact of attacks on the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC), Qazinform News Agency quotes Energy Minister Erlan Akkenzhenov as saying. According to him, Kazakhstan initially planned to maintain last year's production level of 99.5 million tons and approach the 100 million-ton mark.
"With the attacks in January and the continued attacks in June and July, we lost approximately 3.5 million tons. TCO shareholders decided not to conduct a major overhaul and postponed it until next year," Akkenzhenov said at a government briefing. The ministry also decided to postpone planned maintenance at NCOC fields until next year.
"We planned to produce 98 million tons, but the adjusted plan is now 96 million tons. Production losses resulting from the attacks on the CPC will amount to 3.5 million tons," the minister clarified. In July, the CPC was targeted in a series of drone attacks. On July 17, drones struck the oil tanker Nordic Zenith.
On July 19, two tankers carrying Kazakh oil were targeted in separate attacks. Following the attacks, oil loading operations at the CPC terminal were suspended. The Ministry of Energy said that such attacks on civilian critical energy infrastructure facilities were unacceptable.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also condemned drone attacks on vessels transporting oil via the CPC. On July 23, the Ministry of Energy announced a temporary suspension of oil loading at the CPC marine terminal and a reduction in oil production in Kazakhstan. On July 27, the CPC resumed oil intake from shippers and loading operations at its marine terminal in the port of Novorossiysk.
On July 30, the CPC reported new attacks targeting two tankers, following which oil loading operations were suspended again.