Azerbaijan, Baku, 26 May / Trend corr U. Ismayilova, E. Ismayilov/ The Middle East Petrol plans to transport about 3mln tons of oil and oil products via the Georgia-based Kulevi terminal this year, Abdolbari Goozal, President of Azersun holding, said on 24 May. A part of the transported oil will be of Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, and a part of Azerbaijan. The volumes are expected to increase in the future.
"The offshore section of Kulevi terminal is planned to be expanded, deepened and fortified. The second stage of enlargement will be considered after its transhipment capacity reaches 10mln tons per day, but the issue is being considered within the program of prospects," Goozal said.
Kulevi terminal will be able to accept up to 168 cisterns simultaneously. The tank battery's volume totals 380,000 cu m. Its capacity is expected to be increased to 15-20mln tons within 2 years. The port will be able to accept tankers with the deadweight up to 100,000 tons, which makes the project economically efficient.
SOCAR has received a large syndicated credit ($305mln) for construction. The credit was allocated by a consortium of 15 foreign banks headed by ABN Amro, Societe Generale and BNP Paribas. The loan is expected to be paid back by 2009.
Transhipment capacity of the terminal will total 10mln fluid cargo per year, including 2mln tons oil, 3mln tons diesel fuel and 4mln tons fuel oil.
Four railway routes are able to deliver 168 cisterns to the terminal, with the construction of an access duct and 3 piers. There is also a laboratory in Kulevi to test the oil and oil products in accordance with the international standards, and a mobile of tanker park comprising of 9 subsidiary vessels, as well as a new railway line Kolkheti-Kulevi- 13.8km in length.
The correspondent can be contacted at: [email protected]