An international pipeline consortium carrying non-sanctioned oil through Russia has reduced crude flows to the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk after drones hit its biggest oil pumping station on Monday.
The Kropotkinskaya facility in the Russian region of Kuban was taken out of operation and is being inspected by engineers to determine when it can go online again, the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) said.
Oil is currently bypassing Kropotkinskaya “at reduced pumping rates” through the Tengiz-Novorossiysk pipeline, it added.
CPC carries Kazakh oil, which has not been subject to Western sanctions following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
However, CPC, is subject to Russian law, since the pipeline crosses Russian territory, carrying about 2m barrels per day of crude from Kazakhstan’s Tengiz field on the northeastern shore of the Caspian to the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk, from where it is shipped to international markets.
CPC, in which Russia directly holds a 24% stake and Kazakhstan’s national oil and gas company KazMunayGas a further 19%, did not identify the attackers, but said they had the intent to kill.
“The terrorist attack was carried out by seven unmanned aerial vehicles, filled with metal striking elements in addition to explosives,” CPC said.
“The attack was carried out with a time interval, with the aim of not only disrupting the operation of the facility but also causing casualties among the station’s operational personnel,” it added.
Russian government officials have not made any statements about the incident yet.
Ukrainian drones are frequently targeting oil facilities in Russia, in reprisals for Russian missile attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure.
However, CPC facilities are not known to have been on Ukraine’s list so far.
The attack has caused no victims amid CPC personnel who “were able to prevent the threat of an oil spill”, according to the company.
“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 facility by means of UAVs [drones] and its results,” the company said.
CPC shareholders include Chevron, which owns 15% of the company, and Lukoil with a 12.5% stake.
Smaller shareholders include the Mobil Caspian Pipeline Company, Rosneft-Shell Caspian Ventures, IC CPC Company and BG Overseas Holding.(Copyright)
