PRESS: Russia’s Transneft can postpone launch of Siberian pipelines

MOSCOW, Nov 7 (PRIME) -- Russian oil pipeline monopoly Transneft can postpone the launch of the Zapolarye–Purpe pipeline in the north of West Siberia and of the Kuyumba–Taishet pipeline in East Siberia, business daily Kommersant reported on Monday, citing a source with knowledge of the matter.

The Zapolarye–Purpe pipeline was earlier planned to be launched in November and the Kuyumba–Taishet pipeline in December.

The sources said that a lossless operation of Zapolarye–Purpe would require a 692 ruble per tonne tariff, which oil producers are protesting against. They are asking for an equal pay burden distribution among all users of the Russian pipeline system instead. Russia’s Federal Antimonopoly Service earlier estimated the pipeline tariff at 399 rubles per tonne.

The Kuyumba–Taishet tariff is estimated at 513 rubles per tonne by the company. The antitrust watchdog has not announced its position so far.

Transneft forecasted much larger oil traffic while building the pipelines, but oil producers then reduced their capacity orders, which led to an increase in required tariff, a source in the industry said.

(63.5043 rubles – U.S. $1)

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