By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, July 13 -- The Aegean Lady Greek tanker, chartered by Lukoil Overseas Holding Ltd., has departed from South Ozereyka terminal near Novorossiysk to markets loaded with 134,900 tonnes of light CPC Blend crude from Karachaganak field in northwest Kazakhstan. The shipment, transported to the port via the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) export pipeline system, represents Lukoil's first production share from the field.
Karachaganak Petroleum Operating BV (KPO) International Consortium, with a 15% share of Lukoil, in mid-May started supplying crude from Karachaganak to CPC via the 635 km Karachaganak-Bolshoy Chagan-Atyrau pipeline system (Map, OGJ, May 10, 2004, p. 52). Pumped volumes will gradually increase to 6.5 million tonnes/year, and CPC expects to transport 600,000 tonnes/month in August.
Lukoil is presented among CPC shareholders through LukArco Co. The CPC Tengiz-Novorossiysk pipeline, commissioned in October 2001, currently transports 1.6 million tonnes/month of oil. With the Karachaganak connection, in the next few months CPC plans to reach 2 million tonnes/month, or 500,000 b/d.
With the shipment of Karachaganak crude, KPO becomes the second largest oil supplier to CPC after TengizChevrOil Co.