Azerbaijan, Baku / Trend / The Kazakhstan Caspian Transportation System (KCTS) is expected to transport 25mln t of oil at the initial stage, with a further increase of its discharge capacity to 38/60mln t a year, to the international markets through Caspian Sea via energy corridor East-West through the route of Aktau-Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan, said the Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan, Marat Tajin, in an exclusive interview.
An agreement on oil transportation from Kazakhstan via the Caspian Sea and Azerbaijan through the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan export pipeline was signed on 16 June 2006. "The establishment of the new transport system will enable the insurance of the transportation of the light Kashagan oil by maintaining its quality," Tajin said.
The oil exportation from Kashagan field via Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan is planned to commence from 2010. Several shareholders to the project are partners in BTC Co. Company. In addition, an agreement on oil transportation via Azerbaijan has already been reached with the partners on development of Tengiz field. The transportation is supposed to begin in 2008. More then 5mln tons of oil will be transported via Azerbaijan annually.