Baku, Fineko/abc.az. Kazakhstan’s Tengizchevroil (TCO) gave up from Kazakh oil transportation via Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) launched in October 2008 and continued before 1 January 2010.

Vagif Aliyev, the head of the Investment Department of State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) and chairman of Cross Caspian’s Board of Directors, says that TCO oil is not being carried via BTC currently.

“It was choice of TCO. Apparently for TCO as a shipper finds it economically expedient to transport oil by rail. We, as Cross Caspian, in any case transship their oil volume through Azerbaijan,” Aliyev said.

A reason for the decision was tariff for pumping fixed by pipeline company BTC Co for non-shareholders.

“Such commercial issue as tariff size for pumping has remained unsolved. BTC Co and the shipper should have coordinated it this January but failed to do that so far,” Aliyev said.

SOCAR president Rovnag Abdullayev, in his turn, pointed out that size of tariff for the BTC Co shareholders and third parties differed and this difference depended on availability of free capacities in the pipeline.

“Today BTC pipe transports Azeri oil from field block Azeri-Chirag-Gunahsli,” he said.

Kazakh oil transportation via BTC pipeline n.a. Heydar Aliyev totaled 1.9 million tons in 2009.

Last year in December it was carried 175,300 tons versus 188,700 tons in November, 187,300 tons in October, 100,000 tons in September,  200,000 tons in August, 92,300 tons in July, 152,900 in June, 163,000 tons in May, 137,700 tons in April, 152,800 tons in March, 240,200 tons in February and 161,100 tons in January.

From October 2008 to 1 January 2010 Kazakh oil transit via BTC pipeline totaled 2.2 million tons.

For Oct-Dec 2008 Kazakh oil transit via BTC pipeline totaled 285,100 tons.

Simultaneously Kazakh oil pumping in October 2008 reached 17,400 tons, in November 119,300 tons, and December 2008 148,400 tons.

26.02.2010 11:04