Kazakhstan seeks long-term oil supply agreements with Azerbaijan

Kazakhstan is interested in signing long-term agreements with Azerbaijan for the supply of oil products, according to Kazakhstan’s Minister of Transport, Nurlan Sauranbayev, Azernews reports.

Speaking at the 21st meeting of the Azerbaijan-Kazakhstan Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation held in Baku, Sauranbayev emphasized the strategic nature of the two countries' partnership in the energy sector.

“We have a truly strategic partnership in energy. We highly value the cooperation between SOCAR and KazMunayGas in transporting oil via the Trans-Caspian route,” he stated.

Sauranbayev also underlined the importance of developing green energy, noting that the transmission of renewable energy is a key priority. He recalled that in November 2024, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and Uzbekistan signed a trilateral agreement in Baku to advance strategic cooperation in the field of renewable energy.

Additionally, the Kazakh minister expressed his country’s readiness to collaborate with Azerbaijan on the peaceful use of nuclear energy and energy regulation, as well as to exchange expertise in these areas.

He also highlighted Kazakhstan's interest in cooperating with Azerbaijan on establishing joint research and development centers focused on artificial intelligence.

Meanwhile, Azerbaijani Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov announced that oil transit between the two countries is set to increase through the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline.

“Cooperation between SOCAR and KazMunayGas on Kazakh oil transit through Azerbaijan is progressing successfully. Since 2023, 3.4 million tons of Kazakh oil have been transported to global markets via the BTC pipeline,” Shahbazov said.

He added that both sides are exploring the possibility of increasing annual oil volumes to 7 million tons by 2027 — a move that would significantly enhance their energy partnership and further diversify Kazakhstan’s export routes.