Pipeliners

MOSCOW, April 25 (RIA Novosti) - Transneft, Russia's pipeline monopoly, said Tuesday that U.S. oil giant Chevron and Kazakhstan's KazMunaiGaz had shown interest in a project to build an oil pipeline in the Balkans. Transneft head Semyon Vainshtok said the company did not plan to invest in the 783-million-euro pipeline from the Greek Mediterranean port of Alexandropoulis to Bulgaria's Black Sea port of Burgas. "Today, Transneft is involved in the project as observer," Vainshtok said, adding that the company's expertise in logistics and as operator could be of use for the pipeline, which will run for 280 kilometers (about 180 miles). Its planned capacity stands at 35 million metric tons per year (704,800 bbl/d) and up to 50 million tons per year (1.01 mln bbl/d) tons in the future.