Pipeliners

22 May 2008 – Upstream OnLine – The head of Ukraine oil monopoly Ukrtransnafta Igor Kiryushin said today the country is ready to make a shipment of 44,000 tonnes (323,400 barrels) of light crude through the Odessa-Brody pipeline to the Czech Republic as a first step in converting the pipeline for European supply. The shipment could be the first step in turning the pipeline into a regular route for sending Caspian oil to European refineries instead of what it is now used for – sending Russian oil to Black Sea ports near Odessa. “Ukrtransnafta is completely ready for such a shipment. The positive results of these shipments will show our readiness and capability to transport light oil,” Reuters quoted Kiryushin as saying. Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko, also present at the forum, issued a decree today to work out measures to redirect the Odessa-Brody oil pipeline to supply Europe from 2008.