BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 10. Kazakhstan will start exporting 1.5 million tons of oil through the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline from January 1, 2023, Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Alikhan Smailov told reporters, Trend reports on November 10.
"Kazakhstan has an agreement to ship 1.5 million tons of oil through Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline from January 1,2023. And its further increase to 6-6.5 million tons is being worked through. Tengizchevroil (TCO),a joint venture between Chevron, ExxonMobil, KazMunayGas and LukArco, has now purchased and doubled the number of tank cars. Pilot shipments by rail towards Batumi and Uzbekistan have already begun," he said.
In general, Smailov noted, the government has developed a special roadmap for diversifying oil exports. In particular, in the direction through the Aktau port to the port of Baku and from there - in the direction of Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan. In addition, it's about the Baku-Supsa and Baku-Batumi directions, where Kazakhstan has its own terminal. Plus, there is a railway direction from Atyrau towards Batumi and towards Uzbekistan. And also there is a direction to China.
"Work is underway to expand and increase the potential for oil exports in all of these directions," he stated.
Smailov assured that that "colleagues from neighboring countries have full understanding and support in this matter," so they are ready to provide Kazakhstan with their transit opportunities and are ready to cooperate.