Today.Az » Business » Natik Aliyev: Establishment of transport system Aktau-Baku will require $3 bln
19 April 2005 [14:12] - Today.Az
Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan parties started next negotiations about joining of Kazakhstan to the project Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) and preparation of the text of inter-governmental agreement between both states, 18 April, at Hyatt Regency in Baku.

The agency Trend reports, the head of SOCAR and BTC Co. Natik Aliyev informed about this on the eve of visit of the president of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev to the state. The parties intend discussing issues on project of transportation of Kazakhstan oil via Azerbaijan by BTC and preparation of intergovernmental documents.

"The work (on agreement) started December 2002 and it proceeded on the level of working groups, legal experts and different experts. That time we simply exchanged conceptions. I mean, we discussed type of the system (Aktau- Baku), about the issue the way of it's functioning, who investments are to be realized by and how. By the mid of this year we want signing of intergovernmental agreement, which is to serve as the basis for conclusion of transit agreement between governments and investors", N.Aliyev said.

The oil producers at field "Kashagan" are, first of all, interested with transit agreement, as, namely, this document is to regulate relations between investors, shippers and governments at presentation of different permits, licenses, access to infrastructure, construction of new objects etc.

N.Aliyev stated, the first oil production would launch at field Kashagan in 2008, and it is planned to transport via Aktau-Baku about 500 thousand barrels per day in 2010 with further increase of this volume. "Presently, conditions are created for the work en-route Aktau-Baku. This system includes construction of 700 km of oil pipeline at the territory of Kazakhstan, terminal in Atyrau, oil loading system in Azerbaijan and in-cut to BTC. The most important thing - Kazakhstan party considers creation of individual tanker fleet. Presently, tankers with capacity of 12 thousand tons operate in  Caspian sea. Today, it is envisaged to construct, as a whole, 5 tankers with capacity of 60 thousand tons for provision of transportation of whole oil", indicated Natik Aliyev.

In connection with tariffs for pumping of oil by Baku-Ceyhan, the head of SOCAR mentioned, it will differ for participants of BTC Co. and for the third parties. "It is quite on cards, such tariffs for the third parties will be of such type, that they would provide attractiveness of route.  Establishment, solely, of the system Aktau-Baku, by preliminary estimates will be $3 bln. Establishment of the land system, terminals, the system of marine transport, trans-shipment in Azerbaijan is included, this means absolutely new terminal. It will accomplish unloading of oil and in-cut to BTC. All of these are big capital investments and issue of tariffs is of significant importance. However, on our behalf, we are to do everything, to make tariffs attractive, but not to be lower, than today's payments, affected on BTC participants", he indicated.

The head of BTC Co. said, presently, pipeline Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) is considered for export only of Azerbaijan oil (1 mln barrels per day from oil field "Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli"). "Kazakhstan supplies additionally up to 1  mln barrels of oil per day. It will be necessary to expand pipeline of BTC.  We made studies, indicating, it is possible to increase the capacity of pipe up to 1,7 mln barrels per day. This may be done, as at the cost of chemical reagents, so at the cost of construction of additional pump stations. By means of chemical reagents, it is possible to increase the capacity of BTC up  to 300-350 thousand barrels per day (at the cost of decrease of hydraulic  resistance)", he concluded.

The Companies- shareholders of BTC Co. and the participants of  Kazakhstan project "Kashagan" are as follows: Eni (5% in BTC Co and 16,6% in  development of "Kashagan"), Total 5% and 16,6%), INPEX (2,5% and 8,3%),  Conoco Phillips (2,5% ? 8,3%).

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