Azernews.Az

The Tengiz-Novorossiysk pipeline, the main route for the export of oil from Kazakhstan via Russia, restarted after it was shut down in August 21-24, Caspian Pipeline Consortium reported on Monday.

The shutdown was the second in a series scheduled for this year and was used to tie-in some new equipment and to replace some block valves.

"The key objective of the exercise is to complete Phase 1 of CPC Capacity Expansion to build up the capacity of the entire CPC pipeline system," the company said.

In particular, one mainline and two booster pump headers were connected at the Atyrau Pump Station. A surge relief system and an oil meter were tied in at Astrakhan and mainline pump headers at Komsomolsk and Kropotkin. In addition, a pig launcher/receiver trap was connected to the third subsea line constructed to an additional single point mooring.

In parallel with tying-in the new additional equipment, some large-diameter ball valves were replaced at Atyrau, Komsomolsk and Kropotkin as part of on-going operations.

The CPC pipeline system is one of the largest investment projects with foreign capital in the CIS. The length of the pipeline connecting oil fields in Western Kazakhstan with the Marine Terminal in Novorossiysk is 1,511 km.

The CPC Project was originally developed with a view to a potential expansion of its capacity by 2.5 times up to 67 million tons per year.

The Expansion Project includes rehabilitation of 5 existing and construction of 10 additional pump stations (2 in Kazakhstan and 8 in Russia, six crude oil storage tanks near Novorossiysk and a SPM at the CPC Marine Terminal, and also the replacement of a 88 km pipeline section in Kazakhstan with a larger diameter pipe. The total amount of the project investments will be $5.4 billion.

CPC Shareholders: Russia (represented by Transneft - 24 percent and CPC Company - 7 percent) - 31 percent; Kazakhstan (represented by Kazmunaigaz - 19 percent and Kazakhstan Pipeline Ventures LLC - 1.75 percent) - 20.75 percent; Chevron Caspian Pipeline Consortium Company - 15 percent, LUKARCO B.V. - 12.5 percent, Mobil Caspian Pipeline Company - 7.5 percent, Rosneft-Shell Caspian Ventures Limited - 7.5 percent, BG Overseas Holding Limited - 2 percent, Eni International N.A. N.V. - 2 percent and Oryx Caspian Pipeline LLC - 1.75 percent.