*

December flows from CPC dropped to 3.98 million tonnes -

source

*

The decline contrasts with rising 2025 exports of 12%

*

A November drone strikes severely damaged CPC export

equipment

*

Kazakhstan diverted 300,000 tonnes of oil from CPC in

December

(Adds detail, background)

MOSCOW, Jan 16 (Reuters) - Oil exports via the Caspian

Pipeline ‌Consortium, which brings crude from Kazakhstan to a

Russian terminal in the Black Sea, dropped by 24% ​in December

from the previous month following drone attacks, an industry

source familiar with the ‍data told Reuters on Friday.

CPC handles around 1.5% of ⁠global oil and ⁠accounts for

80% of Kazakhstan's oil exports.

Shareholders in CPC's 1,500-km (930-mile) pipeline include

Kazakhstan's state-owned oil company Kazmunaygas,

Russia's Lukoil ‌and units of U.S. oil giants ​Chevron

and ExxonMobil ( XOM ).

Exports declined in December from November to 3.98 million

metric tons, or around 1.02 million barrels per day, according

to the ⁠source.

The drop in December contrasted sharply ‍with a ​rise in

exports in previous months in 2025 as production at Kazakhstan's

oilfields increased.

Flows rose by around 12% to a record 70.5 million metric

tons, ‍or around 1.5 million barrels per day, in 2025, the source

said.

CPC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Kazakhstan's Energy Ministry said on Tuesday that the

country reduced oil shipments through the CPC marine terminal in

December because of drone attacks and adverse Black Sea weather

conditions. It didn't provide ​details.

On ‍November 29, drones severely damaged CPC's exporting

equipment on the Russian Black Sea coast, resulting in a fall in

oil exports via the pipeline. ​Kazakhstan blamed the attack on

Ukraine, which has been targeting Russian energy infrastructure

to pressure Moscow to end its war in Ukraine.

Ukraine said its actions were not directed against

Kazakhstan but were aimed at repelling what it called

"full-scale Russian aggression".

This week, unidentified drones struck at least two oil

tankers in the Black Sea on Tuesday, including one chartered ​by

Chevron ( CVX ), as they sailed toward the terminal on the Russian

coast.

Kazakhstan redirected 300,000 metric tons of oil away from

the CPC in December, Kazmunaygas said earlier on Friday, as

exporting equipment was damaged ‍by a drone attack.