Kazakhstan exported 596,000 tonnes of crude oil through the port of Aktau toward the Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline during the first five months of 2026, according to monthly data released by KazTransOil.

In May alone, shipments along the route reached 125,000 tonnes. While this represented a decrease of 20,000 tonnes, or 13.8%, compared to the same month last year, the BTC corridor continues to play an increasingly important role in Kazakhstan’s efforts to diversify its export routes and expand access to global energy markets.

The figures come as Kazakhstan seeks to increase the use of the Trans-Caspian route amid growing interest in alternative export corridors linking Central Asia with international markets. Earlier, Kazakhstan’s Minister of Energy Yerlan Akkenzhenov announced that the country plans to export between 1.5 million and 2.2 million tonnes of oil through the BTC pipeline in 2026.

If achieved, the target would mark a significant increase compared to 2025, when Kazakhstan exported 1.2 million tonnes of crude oil via the Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan pipeline.

The BTC route, which transports oil from the Caspian region to the Mediterranean coast of Türkiye, has become an important component of the broader Trans-Caspian connectivity network, providing Kazakhstan with additional opportunities to diversify export flows and strengthen its presence in global energy markets.