Pipeliners

 RBC, 25.02.2005, Moscow 16:03:03.YUKOS aims the transportation of 250,000 tons of oil to China in March 2005, chairman of the board o directors of the oil company Viktor Gerashchenko told journalists. He stressed that in February the company has met its obligations and transported 250,000 tons of oil to the republic. However, it is more advantageous for the oil company to deliver oil to the domestic market. As head of the tax payments department of the Russian Finance Ministry Alexander Sakovich told journalists, oil export duties could amount to USD102 per ton starting April 1, 2005. Oil export duties earlier hit their record high of USD101 per ton on December 1, 2004. Later it was revised downward and was set at USD83 per ton. Before the end of 2004 YUKOS was the only Russian supplier of oil to China. In 2004 the company transported 5.4m tons of oil to China. Starting November 2004, another Russian oil giant, LUKoil has also started supplying crude to China. Rosneft has begun transporting oil to the republic since February 1, 2005. It is to supply to China-based CNPC 4.2m tons of oil this year.