Azerbaijan, Baku, July 24 / corr Trend E.Ismayilov /
Azerbaijani oil delivery via the Baku-Novorossiysk pipeline has been stopped due to scheduled prophylactic work in the Russian section of the pipeline, a source at the oil and gas market said on July 24.
"Oil pumping was ceased at 12:00 on July 24 and is planned to restore at 10:00. It can be earlier or late by 30 minutes. Oil pumping was halted in connection with target technical work," the source said.
Azerbaijani oil pumping in the northern direction will commence on July 25 and continue by July 29.
Earlier, pumping via the pipeline was planned to end on July 27, "short delay occurred due to unscheduled cessation by 16 hours by force of technical reasons," the source added.
In July it is planned to deliver 248,000 tons of Azerbaijani oil via the pipeline on the backdrop of 8,000 tons of oil in average pumping.
In accordance with the forecasts, it is planned to deliver 240,000 tons of Azerbaijani oil via the pipeline in August, 140,000 tons in September, 248,000 in October, 240,000 tons in November and 140,000 tons in December.
The State Oil Companby of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) transports its oil via the Novorossiysk port.
In January to June SOCAR exported over 1.2 million tons of oil via Baku-Novorossiysk pipeline. In June more than 170,500 tons of Azerbaijani oil transported via the pipeline in June.
SOCAR plans to pump 2.5 million tons oil produced fields independently via Baku-Novorossiysk in 2009 compared 1.3 million tons in 2008.
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.
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.
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