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Some oil to be diverted to China after attack on CPC

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CPC normally handles most exports via Novorossiysk

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Astana says exports via CPC have not been fully halted

ASTANA, Dec 10 (Reuters) - Kazakhstan's energy ministry

said on Wednesday it would redirect some oil from the giant

Kashagan oil field to China after a Ukrainian drone attack on

the Caspian Pipeline Consortium's Baltic Sea terminal.

The decision was made public after two sources told Reuters

earlier this week that Kazakhstan plans to supply 50,000 metric

tons of crude to China in December from Kashagan for the first

time after the Ukrainian attack damaged the CPC terminal last

month.

The CPC, which accounts for 1% of global crude supply

and includes Russian, Kazakh and U.S. shareholders, has had to

reduce exports because a key part of its loading infrastructure

- a single-point mooring (SPM) - was damaged in the attack.

Ukraine has stepped up attacks on Russian energy

infrastructure since August in an effort to hurt funding for

Russia's army, but its decision to strike CPC facilities has

been condemned by Kazakhstan and the Kremlin given its

international significance and international participation.

Most oil from Kashagan is usually exported via the CPC to

the damaged terminal at the Russian Black Sea port of

Novorossiysk for further onwards shipment.

The Kazakh energy ministry said the Ukrainian attack on

the CPC marine terminal did not lead to a complete halt in

exports.

"Currently, the Ministry, together with shippers, is

carrying out urgent work to redistribute oil volumes," it said.

"Measures have also been taken to redirect a certain

volume of Kashagan oil to China."

The offshore Kashagan field, one of the world's biggest

discoveries in recent decades, is being developed by Eni

, Shell, TotalEnergies, ExxonMobil ( XOM )

, KazMunayGaz, Inpex ( IPXHF ) and CNPC

.