Rosneft to launch HFO transshipment complex in Tuapse

In the middle of March 2007 Rosneft is going to launch a complex in Tuapse for HFO transshipment from railway to marine transport, Interfax reports according to Yuga.ru. Design capacity of the complex is 3 million tons per year. According to Alexander Sapronov, Rosneft’s vice President, total transshipment volume of Tuapse is planned to be increased from 10 million tons to 17 million tons of oil products. Sapronov says this program conforms the program of Tuapse Refinery modernization aimed at capacity increase from 4 to 12 million tons per year. Heavy fuel oil is to be supplied from a group of Samara refineries. Currently HFO is not transshipped from railway but is supplied to Tuapsenefteproduct from Tuapse Refinery. According to Dmitry Bogdanov, Rosneft’s vice President, construction of railway overpass is to solve the problem of HFO transshipment in winter from a group of Samara refineries resulting in better economic results. The Vice president also says Rosneft is interested in construction of oil-product pipeline Syzran-Saratov-Volgograd-Armavir. Sapronov thinks it should be constructed by Transnefteproduct while Rosneft is to buy and use this service. Transnefteproduct earlier suggested Rosneft to participate in construction of oil-product pipeline. Besides the project may involve Lukoil, (Lukoil-Volgogradneftepererabotka) and ТNК-BP (Saratov Refinery).