PRESS: Russia’s Transneft against liberalization of pipe access

MOSCOW, Apr 15 (PRIME) -- Russian oil pipeline monopoly Transneft has opposed liberalization of refineries’ access to oil pipelines believing this would allow small refineries producing low-quality products to connect to pipes, Kommersant business daily reported Friday.

The Energy Ministry earlier proposed easing the procedure of getting access to pipelines by making it non-obligatory to undergo through a state appraisal while bidding for connection of a new or modernized refinery.

Transneft believes the move will lead to a bigger number of small oil refineries, which are not capable of producing high-quality products and are aimed at getting profit rapidly.

The Federal Service for Environmental, Technological, and Nuclear Oversight believes the move will reduce the reliability and safety of pipelines’ exploitation.

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