/IRBIS, Nov.22, 00/ - REUTERS informs that Caspian Pipe-line Consortium (CPC) has finished construction of Tengiz-Novorossiysk section of the pipe- line.

The construction of Russian part that started in November last year and was completed in month ahead of schedule.

The general contractor of the section is Starstroi consortium that included several Russian companies and French Bouygues Offshore and Spie Capag.

The total length of CPC is 1,580 km. Starstroi constructed 748 km of Russian part and presently modernizes another 300 km. Presently, Kazakhstan section of 500 km is also being modernized.

CPC has also to build oil terminal in Novorossiysk, oil pumping station and SCADA telecommunication system.

The loading of the first tanker from Novorossiysk-2 terminal will take place on June 30, 2001. The first part of the CPC with capacity of 28 mln tons must be accomplished by October 2001. Maximal pipe-capacity is 67 mln tons.

The first part of CPC costs $2.4 bln of which $2 bln have already been invested.

Russian government possesses 24% of CPC, Kazakhstan - 19%, Oman Sultanate - 7%. Another 50% distributed among Сhevron (15%), LUKARCO B.V. (12.5%), Rosneft-Shell (7.5%), Mobil (7.5%) Agip (2%), BG Overseas (2%), Kazakhstan Pipe-line (1.75%), Oryx (1.75%).