Astana: Kazakhstan considers the Aktau-Baku-Ceyhan route a strategic direction for oil deliveries, the country’s minister of energy, Erlan Akkenzhenov, said during talks with Azerbaijani counterpart, Parviz Shahbazov, on the sidelines of Kazakhstan Energy Week – 2025 in Astana, Trend reports via the Kazakh Ministry of Energy.

According to Trend News Agency, Akkenzhenov detailed that 1.06 million tons of Kazakh oil were transported via this route in 2023, with expectations to increase the volume to 1.7 million tons by 2025. The minister highlighted the strategic importance of the Aktau-Baku-Ceyhan route and emphasized maintaining the Baku-Supsa route as a strategic reserve.

In addition to oil transit, discussions also covered the development of the Caspian green energy corridor. This initiative aims to deliver clean energy from Central Asia to Europe via the Caucasus. Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and Uzbekistan have already set up a joint venture of system operators and commenced a feasibility study, with support from international financial institutions.

The Kazakh Ministry of Energy noted that these joint initiatives provide new momentum for the Kazakh-Azerbaijani strategic partnership and create additional opportunities for the entire region.