Caspian Pipeline Consortium halts oil transshipment April 9 to 11 for scheduled maintenance
MOSCOW. April 9 (Interfax) - The Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) on April 9 started conducting scheduled maintenance and connecting new equipment at the Tengiz-Novorossiysk oil trunk pipeline facilities, the CPC said.
"At present oil loading at the CPC Marine Terminal is also suspended. Oil loading is expected to resume from April 11. Information about it will be announced separately," the CPC said.
It said such 72-hour shutdowns of pumping through the pipeline take place not less than twice every year. Their schedule is agreed in advance with all shippers as well as with the Kazakh Energy Ministry.
Key works in April 2024 include connecting a new section of the pipeline at 266 km (crossing via the Atyrau-Astrakhan motor road under construction); replacement of a number of units of block valves at PS; elimination of the pipeline defects and upgrade of the pressure control station at the Marine Terminal as well as regular maintenance of mechanical and process equipment; power and electrical equipment; instrumentation and automation systems and control systems.
Tengizchevroil said it was aware of scheduled maintenance repairs on the CPC pipeline. Currently, TCO's production operations are proceeding as usual.
The CPC transported and exported 63.47 million tonnes of oil in 2023, up 8.1% from 2022.
The 1,511 km CPC pipeline connects oil fields in western Kazakhstan and Russian fields on the Caspian shelf with the marine terminal in Novorossiysk. The system is the main export route for Kazakh oil, accounting for more than 80% of Kazakhstan's volumes pumped through the pipeline.
CPC's shareholders are the Russian Federation with 31%, with Transneft managing 24% and 7% on the balance sheet; KazMunayGas with 19%; Kazakhstan Pipeline Ventures LLC with 1.75%; Chevron Caspian Pipeline Consortium Company with 15%; LUKARCO B.V. with 12.5%; Mobil Caspian Pipeline Company with 7.5%; Rosneft-Shell Caspian Ventures Limited with 7.5%; BG Overseas Holding Limited at 2%; Eni International N.A. N.V. S.ar.l. with 2%; and Oryx Caspian Pipeline LLC with 1.75%.