Pipeliners

01.06.2005 IntelliNews Today - According to EconMin, Yukos and Surgutneftegaz can provide oil for planned Tayshet-Nakhodka oil pipeline. Its construction terms are already settled and the first stage of construction planned to completed by 2008. Yukos wanted to build an eastern pipeline to supply China for the last 6 years. Other plans envisaged pipeline’s extension to the eastern coast making it capable of supplying oil for more than one country. Pipeline's capacity is planned to reach 80mn tons a year. Yukos and Surgutneftegaz both have the best prospects to supply oil in eastern direction, by having nearby access to oil deposits. Both companies are strongly dependent on Russian state, with Surgutneftegaz being controlled by structures close to Kremlin and Yukos still facing large court claims both from the tax authorities and Rosneft. In that way, the government will be able to control eastern export profit which is now roughly estimated to USD 27bn.