Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC), which operates a key oil export pipeline linking Kazakhstan to international markets, has completed repairs at one of two offshore loading buoys, opening the way for the country to restore crude shipments at full capacity.

CPC executive director Nikolay Gorban acknowledged that the replacement of a faulty subsea buoyancy tank “took longer than expected” because of adverse weather conditions near its terminal close to the Russian Black Sea port of Novorossiysk.

“The system is fully ready to accept oil [for loading into tankers] as per nominations of shippers,” said a CPC spokesperson.