21 Oct 2022 12:52

Launch of CPC's single point moorings expected after Oct 25 - Kazakh energy minister

ASTANA. Oct 21 (Interfax) - The single point moorings (SPM) of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) are expected to be launched after October 25, Kazakhstan's Energy Minister Bolat Akchulakov said at a briefing on Friday.

"My colleagues and I talked once again yesterday, and the SPM will be launched by the end of October," Akchulakov said at the briefing.

According to Akchulakov, work is underway.

"A week-and-a-half ago, there was one nuance related to an insufficient amount of diving equipment, (...) which is not related to the CPC infrastructure," he said.

Akchulakov added that additional equipment has been delivered.

As previously reported, the CPC on August 22 suspended the operation of SPM-1 and SPM-2 owing to damage to the buoyancy tanks. Replacing each unit would require a month under conditions of full readiness for work and suitable weather, the consortium noted.

The CPC oil pipeline passes through Russia and is the main export route for Kazakh oil, accounting for more than 80% of the volumes pumped through the pipeline. The CPC pipeline has been operating without failure for more than 20 years. However, over the past year, the system has been facing consistent problems with pumping restrictions owing to various external factors, including an oil spill accident in August 2021, SPM damage during a storm in March 2022, and surveys of the marine terminal water area for the presence of explosive objects that affected fulfilling the CPC shipment schedule.