OREANDA-NEWS. November 12, 2007. Lately, number of foreign companies appeal to Transneft to verify authenticity of different contracts, letters of guarantee, agreements, affidavits, invoices or some other documents with regard to oil and oil products allegedly sold by Transneft JSC or concerning transportation of crude oil or its refined products via Russian pipelines, reported the press-centre of Transneft.

According to appeals, such firms as OAO "Sogaz Oils", OAO "Sogaz Prom", "ORISHA C.I.", STI Utilities, Oil Company "Orison", Whitten Group International, Russian Oil Trading Company, OAO "Ndeogoneftprom Group", United Economic Group, OAO "Ovearup Energy Group", Lexel Air Technology Co.Ltd., ООО "Burgas" and some others are the most frequently would-be-legal entities acted as quasi authorized by Transneft JSC.

Analysis of appeals, received by the Company, demonstrates existence of some international organized criminal group using name of Transneft but having their own bank details to issue bills for foreigner buyers. To achieve their goals, fraudsters presented forged headed notepapers, seals and fictitious signatures of Transneft’s Chief Executives.

Various business institutions and entrepreneurs form Lithuania, Nigeria, India, Malaysia, Singapore and from many other countries had fallen a prey to international fraudsters used reputation of Transneft as a cover.

Transneft is a company having a respectable worldwide reputation and highest responsibility to implementation of contracts concluded.  Nonetheless, activity of fraudsters undermines authority of Transneft. More over, considering strategic status of the Company, its position in the fuel and energy complex of Russia, interests of economic security of the country and reputation of Russia in whole, such a situation has no right to exist.  As a result of these facts Transneft made a request for law machinery of the Russian Federation to make all steps necessary to stop fraud with using of the name of the state oil pipeline Company.

Transneft considers it necessary to inform all business and public community that the Company does not deal with purchase and sale of crude oil and its products beyond the custom territory of the Russian Federation.

Transneft concludes contracts for transportation of oil via its main oil pipelines directly with companies-producers of oil, inscribed by the Ministry of industry and energy of Russia in Registration structure of oil companies and oil and gas producers. Updated information with the account of real oil producers’ status is inscribed in Registration structure quarterly.    

Within the bounds of contract concluded, Transneft is obliged to guarantee transportation of oil through its pipeline system and to deliver it to refineries of Russia and for export through its oil terminal in Primorsk, Tuapse and Novorossiysk.

Besides, Transneft as agent of Russian producers provides for transportation services on supply of oil to refineries of Byelorussia. Through the transit territory of Byelorussia Transneft delivers oil to transfer point of Adamovo zastava in Poland. Oil is delivered to Ukrainian refineries and using its transit territory oil is delivered to ports of Odessa and Yuzhniy and to transfer points of Budkovce (Slovakia) and Feneshlitke (Hungary).

At meantime no deliveries to Lithuania and Latvia are made.

Export of oil is regulated by the State by transportation schedule approved by the Ministry of industry and energy and presented to oil majors in accordance with established procedure.

Facts of frauds lately took place with use of Transneft’s name, recall once again to all business community and single entrepreneurs to be comprehensively acquainted with Russian oil market and procedure of transportation of raw materials accepted in the Russian Federation.