Working in Kazakhstan companies will create operator BTD

/REUTERS, Baku, June 5, 03/ - Within the nearest year oil companies, which are working in Kazakhstan, will create operating company for their oil export by the line Aktau-Baku for future oil pipeline Baku-Tbilisi-Jeikhan (BTD, BTC), managing director on transport infrastructure of state-owned company Kazmunaigas Kairgeldy Kabyldin informed journalists. "We will found the company consisting of interested persons of the region, which will make agreements with Azerbaijan BTC Co for oil transportation from Aktau to Baku fith further pumping of it by the oil pipeline Baku-Jeikhan", - Kabyldin informed. In his opinion, Kazmunaigas, Eni, ConocoPhillips, TotalFinaElf, Inpex, which are working in Kazakhstan, and also other oil producers may joint this company. The company may be founded after signing of intergovernment Kazakhstan- Azerbaijan agreement about joining of Kazakhstan to the project Baku- Jeikhan, which is expected in the end of 2003. Oil pipeline Baku-Jeikhan with the capacity of 50 m. tons a year is to be built by 2005. In 2002 Azerbaijan founded BTC Co for building and exploitation of this oil pipeline consisting of 11 oil companies headed by BP. Kabyldin thinks that on the first stage Kazakhstan can give five-six million tons of oil a year for this oil pipeline with increasing up to 20 m. tons of oil a year, in particular, from Kashagan. "We expect growth of extraction in the country up to 150 m. tons of oil a year, that's why we may have lack of oil pipelines, which are offered now, so in the future we can build oil pipeline to China as well", - Kabyldin said. As regards export of big oil through Caspian sea, the head of Kazmunaigas considers it expedient to use tankers of various types for volumes of up to 20 m. tons a year, and higher than it - he does not except the possibility of laying transcaspian oil pipeline. [2003-06-05]