Askhat Khassenov: Baku–Supsa remains on KazMunayGas’ radar – EXCLUSIVE

The Baku–Supsa oil pipeline remains under consideration by JSC NC KazMunayGas (KMG), but at this stage, the Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan (BTC) route remains the top priority, Askhat Khassenov, Chairman of the Management Board of KazMunayGas, said in an exclusive comment to Report on the sidelines of the 30th Baku Energy Forum.

"Baku–Supsa is one of the options we are evaluating, but currently, our main focus is on the Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan direction. We have signed the relevant agreement and are increasing our annual oil volumes. Our current objective is to ensure stable transportation and improve the economic parameters of this route," Khassenov noted.

He emphasized that economic feasibility is always the key factor in route selection:

"Economics is the defining factor. We continue to work actively on the BTC route, and in my opinion, the trend there is quite positive. As for Baku–Supsa, a deeper economic assessment is still required."

The head of KazMunayGas also recalled the signing of three new agreements involving the company and international partners: the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR), PJSC Tatneft, and Uzbekneftegaz JSC.

"Two of these agreements were signed in Azerbaijan — covering industrial safety and digital solutions. The third document, related to decarbonization, was signed during the Astana International Forum. It addresses carbon capture, green hydrogen development, and renewable energy," he explained.

According to Khassenov, each of the companies has its own plans in these areas:

"Now we are joining forces, sharing technologies, and we expect significant economic benefits from this synergy."

In 2022, KMG and SOCAR signed a general agreement on the transit of Kazakh oil. In March 2023, a trial shipment of 7,000 tonnes of oil from the Kashagan field was carried out via Azerbaijan.

In March 2024, KMG and SOCAR signed an agreement to gradually increase oil transit through Azerbaijani territory. Under the agreement, volumes are to be increased to 2.2 million tonnes per year.

Additionally, on January 15, 2025, SOCAR Midstream Operations LLC signed an agreement with KMG Trading, a subsidiary of KazMunayGas, to transit 240,000 tonnes of Kashagan oil annually. The first batch — around 6,000 tonnes, loaded in Aktau on January 25 — arrived at the Sangachal Terminal on January 27.

As previously reported, more than 1 million tonnes of Kazakh oil were sent through the BTC system from Aktau Port in 2023. In 2024, transit reached 1.4 million tonnes. The 2025 target is 1.7 million tonnes via BTC.

The total volume of Kazakh oil transit through Azerbaijan has reached 3 million tonnes.