Azerbaijan, Baku / Trend corr I. Khalilova / Azerbaijan approved joining the 'Sarmatia' International Pipeline Enterprise LLC, Azerbaijan Industry & Energy Minister, Natig Aliyev, said in Baku on 4 October.
Lithuanian AB Klaipedos Nafta, Georgian Oil and Gas Corporation, and the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR) are expected to buy shares of ' Sarmatia'.
Ukraine's Ukrtransnafta oil company and Poland's Przedsiebiorstwo Eksploatacji Rurociagow Naftowych Przyjazn S.A. oil transport monopolist established ' Sarmatia' JV in July 2004 for implantation of the project on construction of Brody-Plotsk section of Odessa-Brody-Plotsk oil pipeline. The key directions in the activities of the company are development of design estimates, attraction of investments, enabling construction work. 'Sarmatia' will have to develop a feasibility study and to define the efficiency of oil supplies from the Caspian Region to Poland.
"Now the point is transportation of oil from the Caspian Sea [to Gdansk]. Any expansion of the oil pipeline requires, fist of all, serious oil resources".
"Today solely real [oil supply source] for the pipeline [Brody-Plotsk-Gdansk] is Odessa-Brody pipeline. Azerbaijan should take part in it," the Minister said.
The issue on expansion of the membership in 'Sarmatia' will be discussed at the energy summit to take place in Lithuania from 10 to 11 October.
Odessa-Brody main pipeline was constructed in 2001. It was out of use during several years. At the end of June 2004 Ukrainian Government allowed using the pipeline to transport the Russian oil.