Photo via inbusiness.kz
Kazakhstan has formally requested that Russia restart crude oil shipments via the Druzhba pipeline, which have been suspended since May, Kazakh Energy Minister Yerlan Akkenzhenov announced at a press briefing, as reported by TASS.
“I submitted an official request in person, one-on-one, and the request has been delivered. The Kazakh side is awaiting a response from Russia regarding the resumption,” Akkenzhenov stated, noting that the technical capacity to restore flows is fully in place.
Druzhba is one of the world's largest trunk oil pipeline networks, built to transport Russian and Kazakh crude to East and Central European markets. Spanning roughly 8,900 kilometers—including 3,900 kilometers across Russian territory—the network boasts an estimated throughput capacity of 1.2 to 1.4 million barrels per day.
Kazakhstan previously used the Druzhba pipeline to supply crude to Germany's Schwedt refinery. Kazakh oil exports to Germany along this route surpassed 2.1 million metric tons in 2025 and totaled roughly 730,000 metric tons in the first quarter of 2026.
Since May of this year, Kazakh crude shipments bound for Germany have bypassed Druzhba in favor of alternative routes. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak attributed the halt to technical infrastructure constraints, though Akkenzhenov previously noted that strikes on Russian energy infrastructure may have triggered the decision.
Headline options:
- Kazakhstan Seeks to Resume Oil Transit to Germany via Druzhba Pipeline
- Astana Asks Moscow to Restart Crude Shipments Through Druzhba Network
- Kazakhstan Formally Requests Resumption of Druzhba Pipeline Oil Exports
