Russia to increase oil transit quota up to 12.5 mln tons in 2000

/IRBIS, Apr.21, 00/ - REUTERS informs, with the reference to the government office of the prime-minister of Kazakhstan, that the country received additional quota on transporting its oil through Russia, and thanks to it the country's exports should increase to 12.5 mln tons from 10 tons previously planned. Total exports of Kazakhstani oil to the ports of the Black Sea is to increase up to 12.5 mln tons, is said in the press-release. Previously, vice-minister of energy, industry and trade Nurlan Kapparov informed that Russia and Kazakhstan had agreed on the transit of 10 mln tons of Kazakhstani oil, and added that "Russia did not only confirmed, but it also expressed its willingness to increase the transportation of our oil". 10 mln ton quota included 8.5 mln ton transit through Atyrau-Samara pipeline to other foreign countries, and the government sources said this quota had been increased by 1.0 mln tons, up to 9.5 mln tons now. The protocol on additional increase in quota is said was signed by Kazakhstani minister of industry and trade and energy minister of Russia on Wednesday. Russia is said to provide Kazakhstan with 2.0 mln ton quota on new Makhachkala-Novorossiisk route. Still another 1.0 mln tons of oil is to be exported to CIS countries. Oil producing Aktobemunaigas, whose controlling block of shares belong to Chinese national petroleum company, has received 1.5 mln ton quota to transport its oil to abroad from Russia. The representative of the company said this quota was not the part of the quota granted to Kazakhstan. The ministry of fuel and energy of Russia is said to have reserved 1.5 mln tons of oil for the exchange scheme from Orsk refinery to Pavlodar refinery in the north of Kazakhstan. Annual oil production of Kazakhstan is about 28-29 mln tons of oil. It transported 9.8 mln tons through Transneft pipeline system in 1999. The only pipeline Atyrau-Samara has a maximum capacity of about 12 mln tons of oil a year.