Caspian Pipeline Halts Exports After Novorossiysk Drone Strike

Five tankers originally bound for the terminal have diverted toward Turkey and Spain or entered a holding pattern, scrambling global supply chains. The shutdown arrives just days after the pipeline resumed service following a separate week-long closure that crippled Kazakhstan’s crude exports and slashed production levels. Industry data indicates Kazakh output plummeted to roughly 1 million barrels per day on Sunday, a sharp drop from June's daily average of 2.16 million.

This 1,500-kilometer conduit serves as the primary gateway for Kazakhstan, moving over 80% of its crude exports from the Tengiz oilfield to global markets. Major international players, including Chevron and ExxonMobil, rely on the route to maintain flow. As Ukrainian forces continue to target Russian energy infrastructure, the recurring instability at Novorossiysk compounds existing market anxieties already strained by shipping volatility in the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf.