Kazakhstan, Astana, Jan.24 / Trend A. Maratov, E. Ismayilov /
Kazakhstan considers Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline as one of the possible routes of oil supply to world markets, KazMunaiGas head Kairgeldy Kabyldin said today at a press conference in Astana.
According to him, as a result of 2009, the pipeline's daily transported 100,000 tons of Kazakh oil, but the pipeline's shareholders increased pumping tariffs for the Kazakh side, and it was set at the level as for the third party.
According to the State Statistics Committee of Azerbaijan, in 2009 the BTC transported 1.9 million tons of the Kazakh oil from the Tengiz field. In 2008 (October-December), the BTC transported 285,100 tons of the Kazakh oil.
According to Kabyldin, at present, talks between the shareholders of the BTC and the Kazakh-American company Tengizchevroil, which develops the Tengiz field, are underway.
Regarding the possible starting date of the Kazakh oil pumping via BTC Kabyldin noted that transportation date depends on the agreement of the sides.
As SOCAR representative said earlier the tariff proposed by BTC consortium to Tengizchevroil is 15-20 percent lower than that offered for other oil producers.
In 2009 the tariff for the Tengiz oil pumping via the BTC hit $4.05.
Tengizchevroil began transporting oil through the pipeline in 2008. However, shipments were later suspended after tariff disputes between the company and BTC shareholders in early 2010.
At present, the Tengiz oil is transported through Azerbaijan only by railroad.
BTC shareholders are: BP (30.1 percent); AzBTC (25 percent); Chevron (8.90 percent); Statoil (8.71 percent), TPAO (6.53 percent); Eni (5 percent); Total (5 percent); Itochu (3.40 percent); Inpex (2.50 percent); ConocoPhillips (2.50 percent); and, Hess (2;36 percent).