Kazakhstan Resumes Atyrau–Samara Oil Pipeline After Drone Attack

The Atyrau–Samara oil pipeline, one of Kazakhstan's main export routes, was suspended on November 2 after a drone attack on facilities of the Samara production and sales centre in Russia, Kazakhstan's Ministry of Energy said. The ministry reported that the drone struck overnight, halting crude oil transport. Pumping resumed on the morning of November 3.

The route is Kazakhstan's second most important export direction after the CPC pipeline, which has repeatedly stopped operating during the war between Ukraine and Russia. Last year Kazakhstan exported 11 million tonnes of oil through the Atyrau–Samara system.

Washington-based analyst Umud Shokri told The Times of Central Asia that the route through Azerbaijan is a practical backup, not a short-term replacement for the CPC. According to him, Kazakhstan shipped 1.164 million metric tonnes via this route in the first nine months of 2026, against a full-year target of 1.7 million tonnes. Falling Caspian Sea levels are also complicating navigation.