Azerbaijan, Baku, June 4 / Trend E. Ismayilov /
Change of tariff on Azerbaijani oil pumping via oil pipeline Baku-Novorossiysk is prerogative of heads of nations, SOCAR (the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan) vice-president on marketing and economic operations Elshad Nasirov said on June 4.
"Signing of any protocol can change only technical features of keeping terms, pumping and losses. But tariff remains unchangeable until the president of Azerbaijan and the president of Russia change this agreement," SOCAR representative said.
The inter-governmental agreement signed between countries in 1996 is prolonged automatically each year until one of sides states about its denouncement half a year before its expiry.
Nasirov commented Russian energy minister's statement concerning SOCAR and Transneft agreed on signing of technical agreement on oil supplies. He said that it is not change of transit agreement but change of technical agreement on oil transportation that was signed earlier between Transneft and Azerbaijani international operational company.
The inter-governmental agreement on Azerbaijani oil transportation via Baku-Novorossiysk pipeline was concluded on January 18, 1996. Tariff on transportation of 1 ton of oil hits $15.67.
Coordinated volume of oil transportation via Baku-Novorossiysk pipeline hits 2.5 million tons in 2009.
Azerbaijani international operational company was operator of Baku-Novorossiysk pipeline by late 2007. Then it delivered it to SOCAR. Partners of Azerbaijani international operational company did not intend to transport oil via this route in future. But partners of Azerbaijani international operational company had to resume export on this route because of Georgia events in August 2008 and stoppage of Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline in this period.
Presently, Azerbaijan gets oil Urals (in port of Novorossiysk) due to mixing of oil with other producers during transportation via Baku- Novorossiysk pipeline. The Russian side can consider creation of bank of quality in Novorossiysk by increasing of Azerbaijani oil pumping via this route.
Do you have any feedback? Contact our journalist at [email protected]