Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, March 18, 2003
Russian Oil Pipeline Confirmed to Lead Directly to China
Reports by China Petroleum News say the Russian side has recently notified China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC or PetroChina) that, Russian Premier Kasyanov summoned a government working meeting on March 13, discussing the exploitation of oil-gas resources in the east Siberia and Far East and finally deciding on the crude oil pipeline plan.
Reports by China Petroleum News say the Russian side has recently notified China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC or PetroChina) that, Russian Premier Kasyanov summoned a government working meeting on March 13, discussing the exploitation of oil-gas resources in the east Siberia and Far East and finally deciding on the crude oil pipeline plan.
The definite plan on crude oil exporting by pipeline is divided into two stages. The first stage will have Angarsk-Chita-Daqing pipeline laid, while at the second stage another pipeline will branch off from Chita to Nakhodka. This decision, according to interpretation of Russian authoritative figures, has actually marked a foregone conclusion of the pipeline project transporting Russian crude oil to China.
Besides, the meeting requested Russian Ministry of Energy, Ministry of Natural Resources, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Vnesheconom Bank as well as sides concerned to make a meticulous study into the plan, draw a specific plan of implementation and report it to the Federal Government before May 1.
Russian media thus speculated that such a decision is mainly out of two reasons. One is that the Russian government will deliberate the outline for energy development strategy in May, the other being the possible state visit paid by Chinese leaders to Russia in late May.
In an interview by Vremya Novostei, YUKOS president Mikhail Khodorkovsky noted that his company agreed with the Energy Ministry on first laying Angarsk-Chita-Daqing (China) pipeline with a feeder branching off from Chita to Nakhodka. In the meantime, Transneft vice-president Sergey Grigoriev reaffirmed that, instead of being an energetic advocate of Angarsk- Nakhodka pipeline, Transneft had refused to promote in the initial phase.
Angarsk-Chita-Daqing pipeline also won approval from celebrated figures including Chairman of the Energy, Transport and Communications Committee of the State Duma of the Russian Federation Vladimir Katrenko, Vice Chairman of the State Duma Committee for Economic Policy and Entrepreneurship Aksakov and LUKoil's President Vagit Alekperov. They all preferred the plan to Angarsk- Nakhodka pipeline whether in an economic perspective or in political considerations.