At the end of January, the first batch of crude oil from Kazakhstan’s Kashagan field was transported via the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline. Approximately 6,000 tons of oil, loaded in Aktau Port on January 25, arrived at the Sangachal Terminal on January 27 and was then transported to Ceyhan Port via BTC.

This shipment was made possible following a January 15, 2025, agreement between SOCAR Midstream Operations LLC and KMG Trading, allowing for the annual transit of 240,000 tons of Kashagan oil.

Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan have been working to increase the transit of Kazakh oil through Azerbaijan, with an agreement in March 2024 targeting 2.2 million tons annually. In 2024, BTC transported 1.4 million tons of Kazakh oil, with a goal of 1.5 million tons in 2025.

Expert Opinions: Why BTC?

Azerbaijani economist Anar Azizov emphasized the growing energy cooperation between Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan:

“In the past three years, Baku and Astana have strengthened their partnership in energy transit. Kazakhstan has been seeking alternative export routes since 2022, and Baku is ready to provide BTC’s unused capacity.”

He believes that while Kazakhstan could eventually export up to 20 million tons via BTC, this would take 5–7 years. He also suggested utilizing the Baku-Supsa pipeline to complement BTC.

Oil research expert Ilham Shabanov noted the increasing role of Kazakh oil in BTC:

“In 2023, BTC transported 5.24 million tons of crude, which increased to 5.3 million tons in 2024. Kazakhstan’s contribution grew from 1 million tons to 1.4 million tons.”

Transport and logistics expert Rauf Agamirzayev called this a strategic move for Kazakhstan, allowing it to reach global markets via the Caucasus corridor.

Energy analyst Lada Yevgrashina stated that BTC serves as a “backup option” rather than a primary transit routefor Kazakhstan:

“BTC provides Kazakhstan with export flexibility, but high logistics costs remain a challenge. Long-term sustainability depends on infrastructure upgrades and cost optimization.”

Kazakhstan’s strategy to diversify export routes highlights BTC’s increasing role, but experts stress that investments in logistics and infrastructure will be key to success.