US warns Ukraine against striking non-Russian ships in Black Sea, WSJ says
Photo: Oil tanker (Getty Images)
The United States has warned Ukraine against striking non-Russian vessels in the Black Sea after an attack hit a tanker chartered by US oil giant Chevron, according to The Wall Street Journal.
According to the newspaper, Chevron CEO Mike Wirth met with representatives of the Trump administration this week to discuss risks to the company's assets in Kazakhstan.
The meeting came after a recent Ukrainian drone attack targeted four tankers near Novorossiysk. One of the vessels was chartered by Chevron.
Novorossiysk is the endpoint of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC), which transports Kazakh oil. Chevron owns a 15% stake in the pipeline, as well as a 50% stake in Tengiz, one of Kazakhstan's largest oil fields.
Following the attack, pipeline operations were partially restricted, forcing Kazakhstan to reduce oil production due to a lack of storage capacity.
According to a US official, after consultations with representatives of the oil industry, the Trump administration warned Ukraine that attacks on non-Russian vessels in the Black Sea were unacceptable.
The official told The Wall Street Journal that Washington considers the CPC route important for supplying Kazakh oil to Europe, helping reduce the European market's dependence on Russian energy.
The newspaper reported that the situation is particularly significant for Chevron. The Tengiz field accounts for about 12% of the company's global production, and Chevron has invested tens of billions of dollars in its expansion in recent years.
Paul Cheng, an analyst interviewed by The Wall Street Journal, said further attacks on the export route could force Chevron to cut production at Tengiz. At the same time, given Washington's position, Ukraine is likely to focus on other targets to avoid a conflict with its allies.
Earlier, Bloomberg reported that a series of attacks on tankers in the Black Sea had put Kazakhstan's oil exports through the Caspian Pipeline Consortium terminal near Novorossiysk at risk.
Due to shipping risks, Kazakhstan was forced to suspend oil deliveries to the terminal. The CPC transports crude from several projects, including those involving U.S. oil company Chevron.
