Kazakhstan, U.S. discuss energy security and oil exports

Photo: Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan’s Minister of Energy Yerlan Akkenzhenov held talks with U.S. Secretary of Energy Christopher Wright at the CERAWeek international conference in Houston. The parties discussed global energy security, the development of alternative export routes and the expansion of investment cooperation.

The officials emphasized the strategic nature of their more than 30-year partnership in the oil and gas sector. Over this period, U.S. investment in Kazakhstan’s energy sector has exceeded $60 billion. ExxonMobil and Chevron are key partners in the Tengiz, Karachaganak, and Kashagan projects, which together account for approximately 70% of the country’s oil production.

«The ministers paid special attention to logistics and guarantees for uninterrupted energy supplies to global markets. The minister emphasized the role of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) as the main export route, transporting approximately 2% of the global oil supply. The Kazakh side confirmed its commitment to maintaining a pragmatic dialogue with all stakeholders to ensure reliable transit of raw materials,» Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Energy reported.

Meanwhile, Kazakhstan continues to pursue diversification of its export routes. In particular, the two sides discussed developing the Trans-Caspian route using the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan system. The country is capable of transporting up to 2.1 million tons per year via this pipeline.

Following the meeting, the Kazakh side expressed its readiness to deepen technological partnerships and strengthen coordination with international investors to ensure the stability of the global energy market.