On 21 July
2024, a hydrotest of a new CPC pipeline segment was successfully completed in
the Republic of Kalmykia. The work has been in progress near the Komsomolsk
pump station as part of a major project to replace some main pipeline segments
constructed back in the 80’s in the 20th century. The project is intended to
increase the reliability of the Tengiz-Novorossiysk oil pipeline.
The test was performed on a 17.5 km segment, with
pipe pressure raised to a factory test level. That strength test lasted 24
hours. Then the pressure was dropped to its operating value to perform a
12-hour integrity test.
As a result of a complete set of necessary tests,
the hydrotest was declared successful at 11:00 a.m. Moscow time on 21 July
2024. The pressure parameters remained stable within allowed limits throughout
hydrotest duration.
The test
included all necessary health, industrial safety, and environmental protection
activities. A contractor had sent out
notifications to land users, with the hazard zone closed for outsiders, and
mobile patrols sent out.
By the end of
this month, project participants will start on a new phase - an in-line
inspection of the newly-built segment.
As a
reminder, CPC contractors started replacing the first segment of the mainline
oil pipeline upstream of the Komsomolsk pump station back in December 2023.
Simultaneously, work has been in progress on an 8 km segment near the Astrakhan
pump station.
The important
milestone of replacing the linepipe near the Komsomolsk pump station is
scheduled for October 2024. The new segment will then be tied in to the
existing oil pipeline, allowing the old one to start being removed. The segment
near the Astrakhan pump station is planned to be tied in to the operating oil
pipeline in April 2025.
For information:
CPC Pipeline System is one of the major
investment projects with foreign capital in energy sector in the CIS. The
length of the Tengiz – Novorossiysk pipeline is 1,511 km. This route transports
over two-thirds of all Kazakhstan export oil, and crude from Russian oil
fields, including those in the Caspian Region. CPC Marine Terminal is equipped
with three Single Point Moorings (SPM) that allow to load tankers safely at a
significant distance offshore, also amid poor weather conditions.
CPC Shareholders: Federal Agency for State
Property Management represented by Transneft (trust management) – 24 %, IC CPC Company – 7%, KazMunayGas – 19%,
Kazakhstan Pipeline Ventures LLC – 1.75%, Chevron Caspian Pipeline Consortium
Company – 15%, Lukoil International GmbH
- 12.5%, Mobil Caspian Pipeline Company– 7.5%, Rosneft-Shell Caspian Ventures
Limited– 7.5%, BG Overseas Holdings Limited– 2%, Eni International N.A.
N.V. S.ar.l. – 2% and Oryx Caspian Pipeline LLC – 1,75%.