Russian oil exports by rail to China rising

Oct. 18, 2005
Russia exported 5.7 million tonnes of crude oil to China via railway transportation in the first three quarters of 2005, an increase of 22% over the same period in 2004, according to Russian Railways Co.

Eric Watkins
Senior Correspondent

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 18 -- Russia exported 5.7 million tonnes of crude oil to China via railway transportation in the first three quarters of 2005, an increase of 22% over the same period in 2004, according to Russian Railways Co.

Zabaykalsk, a railway port on the Sino-Russian border, exported 3.72 million tonnes of crude oil to China, increasing 34% year on year, while Naushki, a railway port on the Russian-Mongolian border, transported 1.98 million tonnes, a 4% increase over 2004.

In 2004, Russia exported 6 million tonnes of crude oil to China through its railway system, surging 68% over 2003, and it was supposed to export 10 million tonnes of crude to China in 2005, with a further increase to 15 million tonnes in 2006.

But Russia cut the 2005 figure by 30% to 7 million tonnes in August due to limited railway transportation capacity.

Contact Eric Watkins at [email protected].