Kazakhstan's Kondensat plant faces supply halt after Russian refinery drone attack
This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.
The Kondensat oil refinery in West Kazakhstan Oblast may face a feedstock shortage after the TANECO refinery in Nizhnekamsk, Russia, halted operations following a drone attack. The plant had relied on TANECO for naphtha and gas condensate since February 2024. Without Russian supplies, the refinery has historically operated at minimal capacity.
The Supply Disruption
The TANECO refinery, owned by Tatneft, halted both primary processing units after a drone attack caused fires. The plant had been the sole supplier of naphtha and gas condensate to the Kondensat refinery since February 2024. In June, Kondensat planned to process 20,000 tonnes of Russian feedstock to produce K-5 grade gasoline (A-92 and A-95). The first batch of 3,200 tonnes of A-95 had already been sold to Georgia.
Historical Capacity Constraints
Kondensat, built in 1997 near the Karachaganak field, initially thrived as a buyer of unstable gas condensate. However, in 2011, the Karachaganak Petroleum Operating (KPO) consortium built its own stabilization unit and began exporting via the CPC pipeline, cutting off Kondensat's feedstock. Since then, the plant has operated at 5–15% capacity. Kazakhstan's oil refining development plan had proposed supplying Kondensat with feedstock to produce an additional 221,000 tonnes of gasoline and 225,000 tonnes of diesel annually.
Ownership and Background
The Kondensat refinery is linked to Serik Dzhunusov, a businessman listed in Forbes. The plant's vulnerability to external supply shocks highlights the fragility of Kazakhstan's refining sector, which depends on Russian feedstock for certain facilities. The drone attack on TANECO underscores the cross-border risks to energy infrastructure.
Kazakhstan Oil Export Statistics 2022
In 2022, Kazakhstan exported over 65 million tonnes of oil and gas condensate, generating nearly US$47 billion in revenue. This represented a 51 percent increase in value compared to 2021, according to the State Revenue Committee of the Kazakh Finance Ministry. Italy was the primary importer of Kazakh oil.
Orenburg Gas Processing Plant Attack
On October 19, 2025, the Orenburg Gas Processing Plant (OGPZ) was attacked by drones. The plant processes natural gas liquids (NGLs) and produces propane, butane, and gas gasoline. This facility is a major hub for processing gas condensate, which is also used as feedstock for refineries like Kondensat.
What's Next
Kondensat's management is expected to seek alternative feedstock sources or negotiate with Russian suppliers. It remains unclear whether the plant can secure enough supply to avoid another prolonged period of minimal operations.
4 sources
Kazakhstan's Kondensat plant faces supply halt after Russian refinery drone attack
