Kazakhstan’s Agip Caspian Sea, a subsidiary of Italy’s Eni, has commenced shipping Kazakhstani oil to Germany through the Druzhba pipeline.

In June 2024, Eni’s shipment of crude to the Druzhba pipeline, via Russia, totaled approximately 20,000 tons. Agip Caspian Sea is now the third Kazakhstani company to export oil to Germany via this pipeline, following Karachaganak Petroleum Operating and Inpex North Caspian Sea, a subsidiary of Japan’s Inpex.

Agip successfully conducted a test delivery of 20,000 tons of oil using the Atyrau-Samara main oil pipeline, subsequently integrating with the Druzhba pipeline system. The Ministry of Energy noted that future shipments will be contingent on the economic viability of this route.

ENI becomes the third company from Kazakhstan to export oil to Europe via the Druzhba pipeline. Karachaganak Petroleum Operating and a Japanese Inpex subsidiary are also involved in similar deliveries.

Kazakh oil enters the Druzhba pipeline in Russia, travels along the Unecha-Adamova Zastava route through Belarus and Poland, and arrives in Germany.

Following the reactivation of Druzhba oil exports in February 2023, after sanctions impacted the Russian Urals, Kazakhstan delivered 1mn tons of oil to German refineries last year. The head of the Kazakh Ministry of Energy previously stated a goal to export 1.2mn tons to Germany.

The Druzhba pipeline, spanning 8,900 kilometers, remains a crucial conduit for oil transportation across Europe.