Colin Nesbeth, founder and director of Central Asia Marketing, has said that Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan should focus on developing additional oil export routes rather than replacing existing ones.

Nesbeth made these remarks at the Second Caspian and Central Asia Oil Trading and Logistics Forum held in Azerbaijan's capital Baku, The Caspian Post reports via local media.

Moreover, Nesbeth stressed the need for major investment in railway and port infrastructure on both sides of the Caspian Sea. One of the proposed solutions includes the use of offshore mooring systems known as SAL technology, which can operate 2-3 kilometers from the coast.

He noted that, unlike traditional systems requiring tugboats to stabilize tankers, SAL technology can function without them, making operations more efficient at locations such as the coasts of Baku and Kuryk.

The expert also suggested introducing “contingency contracts” - flexible agreements that allow infrastructure to remain on standby and activate when needed.

“This is a viable model: producers invest in upgrading capacity in Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan while signing trigger-based contracts. When demand spikes, the route can be activated immediately,” Nesbeth explained.

He added that even relatively small volumes, such as 5 million tons per year out of 40 million total production, are enough to maintain a reliable backup export corridor.

Nesbeth also highlighted the importance of keeping steady flows through the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline, saying it remains the most viable route for light Kazakh condensate, with further transportation continuing by rail through Georgia.