https://eurasianet.org/kazakhstan-bullish-on-oil-exports-despite-fallout-of-war
Because of the War in Ukraine Kazakhstan has had to move its oil around through alternate means, because of tariffs placed on Russia the country has needed to diversify its oil exports to other countries, it has also however increased the power of the CPC pipeline which runs through Russia, they can now send a great deal more oil through that pipeline. To diversify they’ve shipped it into Turkey and sent a great deal to China. The country has considered building an Eastern pipeline to further diversify its exports, this would however, be heavily opposed by the Russian government who could easily Veto its construction, not even considering the cost and time it would take to construct it.
I was not aware of the metrics of oil Kazakhstan possessed, as a large central Asian country I’m not sure why it had never occurred to me that of course they would be big into the oil market. I think their lack of importance in the world is further illuminated by their complete subjugation to Russia. To ship most of their oil they have to go through a pipeline that runs through Russia, if they want to ship east Russia could veto the construction of a pipeline, as a former Soviet country you cannot expect them to be entirely independent of Russia’s influence but still it seems they control them a great deal more than a country like Ukraine or Estonia.
In class we have discussed the importance of location a great deal, Kazakhstan was dealt a very poor hand, with no access to an ocean their only large body of water near them being the Caspian Sea and their entire north border being shared with Russia. Not to mention the fact that the vast majority of the country is a desert or empty plain that cannot have a lot done on in, On google street-view I saw a little desert town that almost reminded me of one of those little towns that exist on I-95 but somehow even worse.