BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 10. KazTransOil, a subsidiary of Kazakhstan’s national oil and gas company KazMunayGas, has improved the efficiency of oil transportation along the Uzen-Atyrau-Samara pipeline.
This was announced in a statement published by the press service of the KazMunayGas.
"For several years, the company has been carrying out comprehensive work to optimize oil intake along the Zhetybai-Uzen-Atyrau section, taking into account the physical, chemical and rheological properties of the incoming crude. This made it possible to obtain an oil blend with optimal characteristics for processing and transportation," the company said.
As a result, the quality of oil supplied to the Atyrau Refinery improved. The density at 20°C decreased from 860 to 850 kg per cubic meter, while sulfur content fell from 0.6% to 0.2%.
According to KazMunayGas, the improved quality of the incoming crude contributed to more stable operation of the refinery's processing equipment and improved the commercial characteristics of the petroleum products produced.
Meanwhile, on the Atyrau-Samara export route, the pour point of the oil blend decreased from +20°C to -3°C. This significantly increased transportation reliability, eliminated risks associated with possible pipeline shutdowns and reduced the need for oil heating, according to the company.
The optimization of the oil blend composition also significantly reduced the consumption of natural gas used to heat the oil. From 2022 through 2025, gas savings amounted to 34.573 million cubic meters. The total financial effect exceeded 800 million tenge (about $1.75 million).
The company noted that oil transportation along the Uzen-Atyrau-Samara pipeline previously required maintaining a high temperature throughout the route.
Mangyshlak crude is characterized by low sulfur content but has a high pour point of up to +30°C, while Buzachi crude has high viscosity and a pour point of as low as -21°C. Maintaining the required temperature regime along the entire pipeline was therefore an important condition for ensuring reliable and stable oil transportation, the company said.
The Uzen-Atyrau-Samara pipeline is one of Kazakhstan's major oil pipelines, transporting crude from fields in the western part of the country to domestic refineries, as well as for export, with further access to international markets. The pipeline was commissioned in 1978. Its Kazakh section is 1,238 kilometers long
The conversion was made at a rate of 456.89 tenge per $1 as of September 10, 2026
