Transneft poses export tariff zones for ESPO line

Nov. 9, 2009
Russia’s OAO Transneft has proposed dividing its East Siberia-Pacific Ocean oil pipeline into three export tariff zones, according to a company official.

Eric Watkins
OGJ Oil Diplomacy Editor

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 9 -- Russia’s OAO Transneft has proposed dividing its East Siberia-Pacific Ocean oil pipeline into three export tariff zones, according to a company official.

Spokesman Igor Dyomin said Transneft wants the ESPO line to be divided into the eastern, western, and central export tariff zones, with $34/tonne charged for oil transported via the eastern zone, $48/tonne via the western zone, and $42/tonne via the central zone.

The eastern zone will extract oil from Talakan field, the western zone from Vankor field, and the central zone from fields in the southern Krasnoyarsk territory, said Dyomin, who added that the proposals already have been filed with the Russia’s Federal Tariffs Service.

Transneft expects the tariff for oil transportation through its system to increase in 2010 at a rate comparable with inflation, said Dyomin, who added that the state firm has no plans to increase its tariff proportionally to the growth of its expenses, which are expected to rise by 30%.

Russian authorities last month said oil for the line is to be branded Vsto, and will be light and medium-sour, superior to Urals export blend but inferior to Siberian Light (OGJ Online, Oct. 12, 2009).

Contact Eric Watkins at [email protected].