FSUOGM: Kazakhstan seeks to supply Germany with oil via Druzhba

Kazakhstan is seeking to pump oil to Germany via the Druzhba pipeline system, helping the latter replace lost Russian volumes.

Germany has followed through on a pledge to halt Russian oil imports on January 1, even though the EU embargo on crude supplies from the country, imposed in December, only extends to seaborne deliveries and not those via pipeline. Prior to the war in Ukraine, Russia supplied 35% of Germany’s oil needs, although the percentage had dropped to only 12% by May last year.

Russian oil pipeline operator Transneft reported on December 30 that Kazakhstan’s KazTransOil had requested to book 1.2mn tonnes of capacity at Druzhba in 2023, equivalent to 24,000 barrels per day (bpd). It is expected that this supply will replace volumes formerly provided by Russia to the Schwedt oil refinery.

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