Two oil tankers were attacked at the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) terminal off Russia's Black Sea coast, CPC said on Sunday, adding that oil loadings were suspended.
The ASIA and NISSOS IOS tankers were attacked during loading operations, CPC said. The ASIA tanker caught fire, which was extinguished, it added.
"There were no injuries or fatalities amongst CPC staff or contractors. There was no oil spill," CPC said, adding that the tankers remained afloat.
Kazakhstan's energy ministry said that the Single Point Mooring (SPM) facilities, SPM-1 and SPM-3, were not damaged.
"At present, crude oil loading operations at the terminal have been suspended pending a full assessment of the consequences of the incident," it said in a statement.
CPC did not identify any party as responsible for the incident. There has been a sharp escalation in attacks by both Russia and Ukraine on shipping in the Black and Azov seas in the past week.
Kazakhstan's foreign ministry on Sunday condemned the recent attacks on tankers engaged in the transportation of oil through the CPC infrastructure.
"The Republic of Kazakhstan is currently conducting a comprehensive assessment of the damage caused," it said.
"Upon completion of this assessment, Kazakhstan reserves all rights available under international law to protect its legitimate interests, including seeking full compensation for the damage caused."
The CPC is a 940-mile (1,510 km) oil pipeline connecting Kazakhstan's Caspian Sea oil deposits with Russia's Black Sea port of Novorossiysk. Oil loaded at Novorossiysk is then taken by tanker to world markets.
CPC accounts for about 80% of Kazakhstan’s oil exports.
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