Azerbaijan, Baku, May 5/ Trend , E. Isamyilov/
According to estimations, the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) plans to pump 2.55 million tons oil produced fields independently via Baku-Novorossiysk in 2009 compared 1.3 million tons in 2008, a source at oil and gas market said.
A source said about 890,000 tons of oil was exported via Baku-Novorossiysk in January-April compared to 408,000 tons for the same period of 2008,
Below is the schedule of oil transport via Baku- Novorossiysk in 2009 including forecast for coming months:
|
Month |
Volume (thousand tons) |
|
January (shipped) |
168 |
|
February (shipped) |
220 |
|
March (shipped) |
285 |
|
Апрель (shipped) |
225 |
|
May (forecast) |
225 |
|
June (forecast) |
171 |
|
July (forecast) |
248 |
|
Aygust (forecast) |
240 |
|
September (forecast) |
140 |
|
October (forecast) |
248 |
|
November (forecast) |
240 |
|
December (forecast) |
140 |
Presently, Azerbaijan gets Urals oil in outlet (in Novorossiysk port) while oil transportation via Baku- Novorossiysk pipeline because of mixing with oil of other producers.
Major condition is bank of oil quality on the Russian terminal to increase oil pumping via Baku- Novorossiysk route, SOCAR (the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan) said. Transneft company (the Russian oil transportation monopolist) said about readiness for giving a bank of oil quality in case of 5 million tons pumping per year.
Azeri Light oil is planned to pump via Baku-Novorossiysk pipeline to reach volumes of transportation via this route to 5 million tons. SOCAR is ready for pumping from total volume of 2 million tons of light oil.
Talks are being held with participants of the Azerbaijani international operation company (BP operator) extracting light oil on Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli block of fields to provide the rest volume - 3 million tons.
Presently, all partners of the project except for Exxon and Devon companies transporting oil via railroad to Batumi port deliver its oil via Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline. ACG partners transport oil also via Baku-Supsa.
The operator of the Baku-Novorossiysk was the Azerbaijan International Operating Company until the end of 2007. The SOCAR began to operate the pipeline since 2007. This AIOC partners were not going to transport oil via this route in the future. However, because of the events in Georgia in August of last year and suspension of Baku - Tbilisi - Ceyhan oil pipeline in the same period, partners in the AMOC (project participants Baku - Tbilisi - Ceyhan) had to resume the exports via this route.
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