31.01.2006
"Interfax"
Minsk, January 31. Interfax-West RussNeft is ready to take part in upgrading Byelorussian Polimir and increase crude oil deliveries to Byelorussian refineries. The statement was made by President of the company Mikhail Gutseriev during the meeting with President of Byelorussia Alexander Lukashenko.
“We are very interested to have an efficient modernization project for Polimir comprising four or five stages to enable the yield of competitive products which are to be delivered to the markets of Eastern and Central Europe,” said M.Gutseriev.
According to him, his company could assign its own means out of $1 billion profit made by the company last year, as well as to raise credits.
Furthermore, the head of RussNeft pointed out that his company was ready to increase crude oil deliveries to Byelorussian oil refineries. “Added to the piped crude oil can be 5 million tons above any delivery schedules,” said M.Gutseriev having clarified that he was talking about railway deliveries from the oil loading terminal started up last year in the Bryansk region of the RF.
He also informed President of Byelorussia, that last year RussNeft produced 17 million tons of crude oil and “by the end of the current year the oil production with new oil fields commissioned will come up to 24-25 million tons.”
According to the press-release of RussNeft, during the operation of the company at the Byelorussian market its subsidiary Slavneftekhim processed more than 1 million tons of feed at big petrochemical plants of the republic. In 2005 RussNeft delivered more than 1.5 million tons of crude oil which was twice as much than the showing of previous year. Moreover, in the fourth quarter RussNeft started its regular deliveries of crude oil to Byelorussia via its oil loading terminal found in the Bryansk region.
President of Byelorussia spoke about rapid expansion of RussNeft. “You are expansive at the market buying new oil fields and refineries,” said A.Lukashenko.
“We should discuss prospects of our cooperation including upgrading the facilities at our enterprise Polimir,” pointed out the head of the state.
According to him, ‘the time has come to address some specific issues and execution of projects.”
Apart from participation in the upgrading of Polimir and crude oil deliveries to Byelorussian refineries A.Lukashenko suggested that the company participate in the construction of a transshipment pipe rack in Byelorussia.
