NC KazMunsiGas CJSC intends to finish building of oil pipeline Kenkiyak - Atyrau by the middle of December of this year

/IRBIS, November 22, 02/ - Today NC KazMunaiGas CJSC (Astana) distributed press-release, which says about the process of building and-assembly works on the oil pipeline Kenkiyak-Atyrau. According to the distributed information NC KazMunaiGas plans to finish building and assembly works on linear part of the pipeline Kenkiyak-Atyrau by the Independence Day, which is December 16 of 2002. As of November 19 of this year 390 km of the oil pipeline Kenkiyak-Ayrau have been welded in a line. At present average speed of pipeline welding is 8-9 km in 24 hours, about a thousand of workers have been engaged with the building. The framework agreement on building of oil pipeline Kenkiyak-Atyrau was signed on October З of 2001 between NC Transport of oil and gas CJSC and KNNC International in Kazakhstan LLP. In accordance with the term o the framework agreement in Kazakhstan justice bodies on December 11 of 2001 there was registered JV - Northern-Western pipeline company "MunaiTas" LLP, the founders of which at present are NC KazMunaiGas CJSC (51% market share) and KNNC International in Kazakhstan LLP (49%). JV NWPC "MunaiTas" LLP is the main customer of building the pipeline Kenkiyak-Atyrau, which will connect fields of Ahtyubinsk and Atyrau oblasts with existing export oil pipelines of Kazakhstan Atyrau-Samara and Caspian Pipeline Consortium. Thus, building of the oil pipeline Kenkiyak-Atyrau will allow to diversify directions of oil transportation, and also decrease risks of investments into that region. General contractor of the pipeline building is Stroitransgas OJSC (Russia). The main subcontracted organization ion the project is KazStroiService CJSC (daughter company of NC KazMunaiGas CJSC). NCOT KazTransOil CJSC was entrusted to examine the question of this pipeline building (order of the Premier-Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan №77-р dated June 7, 99) for providing oil producers of Aktyubinsk region with access to export pipelines CPC and Atyrau - Samara. It is also said in the press-release that total length of the pipeline Kenkiyak-Atyrau is 448.8 km, diameter of the pipeline is 24 inches, carrying capacity of the first turn (2003) is 6 m tons a year, second turn (2004) - 10 m tons a year, third turn (2006) - 14 m tons a year. Building of the linear part of the pipeline is to end in the middle of December of 2002. Approximate cost of the pipelines' first turn building is $160 m. Building is made at the expense of financing of Kazakhstan and Chinese sides in accordance with market shares of shareholders (51% and 49% correspondingly). [2002-11-22]