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Oil pumping via CPC system down 30-40% after Ukraine’s drone attack

The effects of the attack are expected to take 1.5 to 2 months to repair

MOSCOW, February 18. /TASS/. Oil pumping via the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) system following Ukraine’s drone attack on CPC’s largest pump station fell by around 30-40%, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said at a government meeting headed by Russian President.

"The attack damaged energy equipment, a gas turbine plant, a substation, and throwing over to a stand-by facility bypassing Kropotkinskaya Pump Station resulted in a decline in pumping volumes by around 30-40% compared to the level before the drone attack," he said.

Repair work at the station will take long, at least several months, Novak added.

On February 17, Kropotkinskaya Pump Station in South Russia, which is the largest CPC pump station on Russian territory, was attacked by an UAV, after which it was pulled out of service. There were no injuries to the pump station’s personnel. By rapid aligned response the consortium’s workers were able to prevent the threat of an oil spill. The pump station took serious damage, and it will require extensive repair work. The effects of the attack are expected to take 1.5 to 2 months to repair, potentially leading to a decline in oil pumping volumes from Kazakhstan by about 30%. Oil is temporarily being rerouted to the Tengiz-Novorossiysk oil pipeline via an emergency loop that bypasses the station.

All shareholders of the international consortium, including representatives of companies from the US and Europe, have been notified of the terrorist attack on a civilian target by UAV and its outcome by CPC. In 2024, the pump station transported 63 mln tons of oil, with approximately 74% of that volume from American and other Western shippers.

CPC is the pipeline system connecting Kazakhstan with a seaport in Novorossiysk area, where tankers are loaded with oil for the supply to global markets. The 1,511 km long pipeline links oilfields in the West Kazakhstan with the marine terminal in Novorossiysk. Among CPC shareholders are Russia (via Transneft), Kazakhstan (via KazMunayGas), structures of Chevron, Lukoil, ExxonMobil, a joint venture of Rosneft and Shell.

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