CPC Pipeline Consortium Operates at Full Capacity, Says Energy Minister

2026-01-29 - 10:43

The Astana Times provides news and information from Kazakhstan and around the world. ALMATY – The Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) is operating at full capacity, loading two tankers per day, Energy Minister Yerlan Akkenzhenov announced during a Jan. 28 briefing at the Mazhilis (Parliament’s lower chamber). Photo credit: cpc.ru “On Sunday, we restarted unit No. 3, which had been under repair. Due to severe winter weather in the Black Sea, we were unable to complete the repair sooner. Waves often exceed 2.5 meters during this season, which in previous years has forced us to slow terminal operations as well,” Akkenzhenov said. The minister added that pumping units No. 1 and No. 3 are now functioning stably, while unit No. 2 remains partially submerged. “It has a hole measuring 3.5 by 2 meters. Due to weather conditions, we haven’t been able to restore its buoyancy or fully assess the technical condition of its internal systems. The challenge remains the currents and weather,” he said. To strengthen operations, the Ministry of Energy has ordered two new pumping units from the United Arab Emirates, with an expected delivery time of around 30 days. “Installation and dismantling of existing units will take roughly 40 days. In total, about 70 days will be required to fully install them, after which CPC will operate with three pumping units,” Akkenzhenov said.