Eric Watkins
Senior Correspondent
LOS ANGELES, Aug. 18 -- OAO Transneft may be facing long-term closure of the branch of its Druzhba-1 pipeline in order to conduct much-needed repairs, according to the firm's Pres. Sergei Vainshtok.
Vainshtok said the lifespan of a pipeline according to industry standards is 30 years, but that Druzhba-1 is 42 years old and is made out of metals that are now outlawed.
Druzhba-1 carries crude to Lithuania's Mazeikiu refinery, but Transneft cut supplies to the refinery at the start of August after discovering a leak on the pipeline.
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