Croatian pipeline firm JANAF enters Kazakh oil exploration with new partnership
State-owned JANAF has signed a deal to acquire a stake in Geoenergija razvoj d.o.o., targeting the 2,400-km² Shygys block in Kazakhstan.
After decades of operating pipelines, Croatia’s state-owned JANAF is expanding into oil exploration and production. On September 11, the company agreed to take a stake in Geoenergija razvoj d.o.o., a joint venture with the Croatian Hydrocarbon Agency and AZU that will finance drilling in Kazakhstan’s Shygys block, which spans 2,400 square kilometres. The partnership links JANAF with Kazakhstan’s national oil company, creating a new conduit for Kazakh crude to reach European markets.
Analysts see the move as an attempt to restore the technical know-how lost when Hungarian firm MOL took over INA, while also strengthening Croatia’s energy security. The venture could reshape regional oil flows if the exploration proves successful.
Why it matters
The deal could revive Croatia's oil expertise and open a new supply route for Kazakh oil to Europe.
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