Oil loading has been suspended at CPC Marine Terminal near Novorossiysk due to a damage caused by a heavy storm in the Black Sea, CPC General Director Nikolay Gorban said in his interview with Channel One.
According to Nikolay Gorban, pumping of crude through the pipeline continued while the storage capacity is sufficient only until the end of March 24.
Nikolay Gorban explained that loading has been suspended because a comprehensive inspection is need which cannot be currently undertaken due to unfavorable weather conditions.
“3 to 5 times reduction is expected this and the next month, in March and April,” he added.
When asked about the time needed to repair SPM-2 and SPM-3, Nikolay Gorban emphasized that such sophisticated and labor-intensive operations require involvement of divers and multifunctional ships.
A tanker for the line flushing is of highest need but “there is no confirmed tanker as of today”, said Nikolay Gorban adding that it would take at least three weeks to repair one Single Point Mooring (SPM).
According to earlier reports, CPC suspended SPM-2 operation after a storm damaged the SPM-2 internal hose. The divers’ inspection detected damages on 22 March 2022.
The CPC Pipeline System is one of CIS largest energy investment projects that involves foreign capital. The length of the Tengiz – Novorossiysk pipeline is 1,511 km. This route moves over two thirds of all Kazakhstan export oil along with crude from Russian fields including those in the Caspian region. CPC Marine Terminal is equipped with three Single Point Moorings (SPM), allowing tankers to be loaded safely at significant distance offshore, including in poor weather conditions
CPC Shareholders: Federal Agency for State Property Management represented by Transneft (trustee) – 24%, CPC Company – 7%, KazMunayGas – 19%; Kazakhstan Pipeline Ventures LLC – 1.75%, Chevron Caspian Pipeline Consortium Company – 15%, LUKARCO B.V. - 12.5%, Mobil Caspian Pipeline Company - 7.5%, Rosneft-Shell Caspian Ventures Limited - 7.5%, BG Overseas Holding Limited - 2%, Eni International N.A. N.V. - 2%, and Oryx Caspian Pipeline LLC – 1.75%.