ASTANA – Kazakhstan transported 13.121 million tons of oil through the Kazakhstan-China Pipeline in January-August, up 2% year-on-year, underscoring the route’s role in Kazakhstan’s oil transportation network and exports to China. Photo credit: Gary Kavanagh / Getty Images Oil freight turnover along the route reached 11.879 billion ton-kilometers, increasing 3% compared with the same period last year, according to KazTransOil.
The Kazakhstan-China pipeline system remains one of Kazakhstan’s key oil export routes, connecting the country’s oil-producing regions with the Chinese market and supporting the diversification of its export infrastructure. Overall, KazTransOil transported 30.639 million tons of oil through its main pipeline system in January-August, up 4% year-on-year.
Oil transportation through the MunaiTas Northwest Pipeline Company LLP system reached 4.302 million tons, up 10% year-on-year, while freight turnover increased 8% to 1.784 billion ton-kilometers. The Batumi Oil Terminal group handled 1.251 million tons of oil, petroleum products and gas, up 3% compared with the same period of 2025.
The figures come as Kazakhstan continues to diversify its oil transportation and export routes, including efforts to increase shipments via the Caspian Sea and Azerbaijan. In an exclusive interview with Trend, Kuanysh Keskinbayev, Deputy General Director for Commercial Affairs at KMG Kashagan B.V., said Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan were working to optimize oil supply chains and increase transit volumes.
“We have a general agreement under which we operate. Under this agreement, we are constantly working to increase transit volumes. However, frankly speaking, the most important issue is the economics of the route. Because it’s a very long, multimodal route, we are currently actively working to resolve this issue,” Keskinbayev said.
Nearly 250,000 tons of oil from Kashagan and approximately 1.5 million tons from Tengiz are shipped via Azerbaijan annually, according to Keskinbayev. The increase in transportation comes amid higher global oil prices. On Monday, Brent crude futures rose 2.69% to $107.42 per barrel, while WTI gained 2.73% to $102.78.