Russia said oil flows through the Caspian pipeline pipeline pipeline pipeline (CPC) - the main route for exporting Kazakhstan's oil to the global market - have decreased by 30-40% after a Ukrainian drone attack on a major pumping station.
The information was revealed by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak on February 18. "Due to the consequences of the attack, energy equipment, a gas turbine and a transformer station were damaged," Novak told Russian television.
The Russian Deputy Prime Minister also informed that repairing the damage to the international oil pipeline connecting the Tengiz (Kazakhstan) oil field and some other sources to the port of Novorossiysk (Russia) in the Black Sea could take several months.
Previously, Dmitry Medvedev - Vice Chairman of the Russian Security Council - said: "Ukrainian drones attacked the oil pumping station transported through the main pipeline of Caspian pip pip pipeline Consortium".
According to him, the attack on the pipeline is "a blow to an oil corporation that could stop oil exploitation, cause market imbalance, increase oil prices and cause direct damage to US companies".
The oil pipeline has just been attacked, transporting more than 1% of the global daily supply. The CPC pumps oil from the Tengiz field on the northeastern coast of the Caspie Sea as well as oil from Russian producers, transporting oil 1,500 km through Kazakhstan and Russia to the Black Sea. Here, oil is transferred to tankers to supply the world market. In 2024, CPC exported 63.01 million tons of oil, known as CPC blend oil.
Kropotkinskaya is the largest pumping station in Russia for the Tengiz - Novorossiysk oil pipeline system. According to Reuters calculations, a 30% cut in CPC oil exports could be up to 380,000 barrels/day.
Transneft - the Russian state oil pipeline operator - said that Kazakhstan will have to cut exports by 30% to meet domestic demand.
In the statement, the CPC confirmed that the pipeline "continued to operate" and was pumping oil to oil tankers waiting in the Black Sea but in lower flow, and ignored the attacked station.
Tengizchev Israeli - the operator of Tengiz oil field - is monitoring the situation. Tengizchevroil also affirmed that "the production and export of crude oil via the CPC pipeline is not interrupted".
Kazakhstan's Energy Ministry also said that the country is supplying oil without any restrictions. The Ministry's statement said that the oil pipeline from Tengiz to the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk is operating, bypassing the Kropotkinskaya pumping station.
At least seven drones carrying explosives and ammunition attacked the Kropotkinskaya plant on the CPC pipeline in Russia's Krasnodar region, causing "serious damage," Transneft said.
The Ukrainian Military General Staff confirmed that it had attacked Russia's energy infrastructure, including the nearby CPC pumping station and Ilsky refinery.
CPC's shareholders include major US companies such as Chevron and Exxon Mobil, as well as Russian company Lukoil and Kazakhstan KazMunayGas.
Russia holds a 24% stake in CPC while Kazakhstan's state oil and gas company KazMunayGas holds a 19% stake, Chevron has a 15% stake, Lukoil has a 12.5% stake and Exxon Mobil has a 7.5% stake.
