Transneft to boost oil shipment on ESPO pipeline 16% in 2013
TALAKAN (Yakutia). July 30 (Interfax) - Russian oil pipeline operator Transneft plans to ship 37.8 million tonnes of oil on the Eastern Siberia-Pacific Ocean (ESPO) pipeline in 2013, the head of subsidiary Vostoknefteprovod, Viktor Bronnikov, told journalists.
"We now have 12 pump stations with the potential to ship 50.9 million tonnes of oil a year. The task [Transneft has assigned] for Vostoknefteprovod is to ship 37.8 million tonnes of oil this year, up from 32.5 million tonnes last year," Bronnikov said.
Thus, "Transneft" will increase the volume of pumping of oil on ESPO in the current year by 16,3%.
Fields in Eastern and Western Siberia each supply about 50% of the crude oil currently being shipped on the pipeline.
ESPO shipped its one-millionth tonne of oil on Monday, he said. "Fields in Eastern Siberia accounted for 48 million tonnes," he said.
ESPO is being built to deliver oil to the Asia-Pacific market. The first phase of the pipeline was completed in December 2009. Transneft began upgrades to the first phase in 2010, in order to boost annual capacity to 50 million tonnes from 30 million tonnes originally. The project calls for further increasing capacity to 58 million tonnes and ultimately to 80 million tonnes a year.