Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan are working to enhance the economic parameters of oil transit through the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline, Kazakh Energy Minister Yerlan Akkenzhenov said on Monday.
Kazakhstan is reviewing all existing oil export routes, but economic viability remains the key factor in choosing transit directions, Akkenzhenov told journalists at a year-end briefing on 2025.
He said that within Kazakhstan"s overall oil export structure, the economic efficiency of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) route is unquestionable. The Chinese route is the second most significant and also demonstrates stable economic performance.
Speaking on the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan route, Akkenzhenov noted that efforts are underway with SOCAR to improve its economic parameters for Kazakh oil transit. He added that, from an economic standpoint, the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway route would be less competitive compared with BTC.
The minister also stressed that Kazakhstan does not rule out the use of additional routes. "If necessary, we will adjust Baku-Tbilisi-Kars, Baku-Supsa, and other existing routes," he said.
He emphasized that work continues on all available transport options for Kazakh oil, taking into account economic feasibility and current market conditions.