Branch from ESPO to Khabarovsk Refinery to be built in 2014, to Komsomolsky Refinery - also in 2014
MOSCOW. Dec 25 (Interfax) - A branch from the Eastern Siberian Pacific Ocean (ESPO) pipeline to the Khabarovsk Oil Refinery might be built in 2014, Energy Minister Alexander Novak said a meeting with President Vladimir Putin.
In addition, a branch from ESPO the Komsomolsky Oil Refinery might be built in 2014. Total oil supply to this facility will come to 4.5 million tonnes in the first stage and later be increased to 7.5 million tonnes.
"Along with Transneft and in the framework of the development of the eastern program for the oil sector, we are looking at a branch to Khabarovsk Oil Refinery, which would bring pipeline deliveries of oil to Khabarovsk Oil to 6 million tonnes. Supply to Komsomolsky Oil Refinery will start by 2015, initially at 4.5 million tonnes, reaching 7.5 million tonnes by 2016," he said.
The minister said that the launch of ESPO-2's second section is part of the development of new fields in Eastern Siberia. "According to the preliminary balance for ESPO-2, the resource base will increase. We see that an additional 6 million tonnes as a resource base with the entry of ESPO will be in place as of 2014. By 2015, it will be 35.5 million tonnes. These are the fields, which will be developed in Eastern Siberia," the minister said.
ESPO is being built to transport oil to the Asia-Pacific region market. The system's first stage from Taishet (Irkutsk region) to Skovorodino and the Kozmino oil loading terminal on the Pacific Coast was commissioned at the end of 2009. Oil is to be shipped by railroad from Skovorodino to the port. The second stage involved building a section from Skovorodino to the Pacific Coast and boosting the terminal's capacity. After ESPO-2 is commissioned, the port's capacity will increase from 15 million tonnes to 30 million tonnes.