Russia will halt the transit of Kazakh oil to Germany via the Druzhba main pipeline starting May 1, Reuters reported, citing industry sources, according to Kursiv.kz.
According to these sources, Kazakhstan received written notification from Transneft. Transit via the Druzhba pipeline allowed the republic to export oil to Europe, bypassing Russian ports, where sales have declined amid Western sanctions.
Kazakh oil arrives via the Uzen-Atyrau-Samara route and is then transported via the Transneft system to the Adamova Zastava terminal and then to the Schwedt refinery. Crude oil from the Karachaganak, Kashagan, and Tengiz fields is shipped under the KEBCO brand.
Following the imposition of European Union sanctions on Russian oil, Germany has been receiving Kazakh crude via the northern branch of the Druzhba pipeline since February 2023.
In the first quarter of 2026, Kazakhstan's oil exports to Germany via this route doubled to 730,000 tons. Overall, Kazakhstan planned to increase supplies to 2.5 million tons in 2026, up from 2.146 million tons the previous year.
CentralasianLIGHT.org
April 21, 2026