Georgia's Kulevi refinery switches to Kazakh oil under EU sanctions
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Georgia's Kulevi oil refinery processed its first cargo of Kazakh crude in July, abandoning Russian oil to meet EU sanctions. The plant plans to halt Russian imports completely by September and will receive its first Libyan oil shipment between Aug. 20 and 30.
The Switch
Kulevi refinery, operated by Black Sea Petroleum, started processing Kazakh oil in July, with further deliveries scheduled for August. The EU’s 21st sanctions package requires the plant to abandon Russian oil by Jan. 25, 2027, or face restrictions. Black Sea Petroleum said it would completely stop refining Russian crude by September, following EU demands to comply with the sanctions regime.
Libyan Supply Deal
Under a July 3 agreement, the refinery will begin receiving Libyan crude between Aug. 20 and 30, with the first shipment expected in that window. Kazakhstan exported 76 million tonnes of oil to 29 countries in 2025, underscoring its growing role as an alternative supplier. Italy was the largest importer at 1.29 million tonnes, though Germany is the actual biggest end-user, according to GeoStatistics.
What's Next
The refinery is expected to complete its transition away from Russian oil by September, with EU sanctions set to take full effect on Jan. 25, 2027 if compliance fails. However, it remains unclear whether Kazakhstan can sustain stable supplies after recent attacks on the Caspian Pipeline Consortium reduced the country’s oil output to 1.63 million barrels per day in July.
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Georgia's Kulevi refinery switches to Kazakh oil under EU sanctions
