Russian pipeline monopoly Transneft said it has filled the next stage of the massive East Siberia-Pacific Ocean (Espo) pipeline with oil as part of plans to open the line officially on Dec. 25. The 395 km section between Lensk and Olekminsk in the Yakutiya (Sakha) republic has been filled with 380,000 tons of oil, Transneft said. A total of 1,736 km has now been filled, leaving Transneft with the job of filling the remaining 1,000 km of the 600,000 b/d first phase - running from Taishet to Skovorodino - by the end of the year. Transneft plans to set up a joint venture with Ural Rail Car Building Plant (Uralvagonzavod) to move oil by rail from Skovorodino to the Pacific port of Kozmino Bay until the 1 million b/d second phase is finished (IOD Aug.3,p8).
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