The United States has extended a license allowing the transit of Russian oil to China through Kazakhstan until March 19, 2027, ensuring the continuation of flows under sanctions exemptions, Interfax reports.
According to Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Energy, the license was extended following consultations with the Office of Foreign Assets Control. The permit allows Russian oil to be transported across Kazakhstan to China within existing sanctions exceptions, with authorities noting that the situation remains under continuous monitoring.
Kazakhstan currently transits around 10mn tons of Russian oil annually to China under an intergovernmental agreement valid until 2034. The transportation is carried out by KazTransOil under a contract with Rosneft, which includes a tariff of $15 per ton excluding VAT.
The oil is transported via key pipeline routes, including the Tuymazy–Omsk–Novosibirsk-2 system and the Atasu–Alashankou pipeline linking Kazakhstan and China. Discussions are ongoing between Kazakhstan and Russia to increase transit volumes to 12.5mn tons per year.
The extension provides regulatory clarity for ongoing operations, amid earlier concerns over potential secondary sanctions that could have disrupted transit flows and required rerouting.
Earlier, Kazakhstan had sought clarifications from the Office of Foreign Assets Control regarding sanctions compliance, as reports suggested the country was considering suspending transit due to sanction risks.
