OREANDA-NEWS. April 06, 2012. On March 23rd, 2012, the first party of Russian oil was dispatched in testing mode under "the Baltic oil pipeline system - 2" project (BPS-2). V.V. Putin, the Prime-Minister of the Russian Federation, took part at the test run, he gave start to dispatch of oil into "Nevsky prospect" tanker of 100 thousand tons' displacement. On March 26th the second tanker is planned to be dispatched.

Capacity of BPS-2 at the first stage will amount 30 million tons per year, the second stage of the project presupposes increase of transportation volumes up to 38 million tons of oil annually. Termination of the second stage is planned as early as December 2013.

Technical characteristics of BPS-2 (the first stage)

Productive capacity

30 million tons per year

Length of the linear part

1000 km

Oil pipeline diameter

1067 mm (0-762 km)

1020 mm (762-1000 km)

The History of BPS-2's Building

Decree No. 1754-r on projecting and building of the Baltic oil pipeline system - 2 on the route from Unecha town (Bryansk region) to Ust'-Luga town (Leningrad region) was signed on November 26th 2008 by V.V. Putin, the Prime Minister of the Russian Federation.

The first juncture of BPS-2 oil pipeline was welded on June 10th 2009. Building of its linear part was being led at an accelerated pace, and on October 28th 2010, within the area of Ust-Luga port, the first "golden" juncture was welded. And all the building and commissioning works at the objects of BPS-2 oil pipeline were terminated on November 15th 2011.

Within realization of BPS-2 project, a linear part of 1000 km total length was built, Unecha linear production and dispatch station and Andreapol' oil pumping station were reconstructed, two new  oil pun ping stations (NPS-3 and NPS-7) and Ust'-Luga oil plant were put up.

"Ust'-Luga" oil plant consists of eight cisterns of 50 thousand cubic meters capacity each one, and a delivery and acceptance point. The technical plan of the oil plant allows to simultaneously load two tankers of up to 150 thousand tons deadweight.

The route of the oil pipeline goes through the territories of Bryansk, Smolensk, Tver', Novgorod and Leningrad regions.

Environmental Safety of the Project

The BPS-2 project has been realized in accordance to all the requirements of industrial and environmental safety.

To provide secure exploitation of BPS-2 objects and environmental safety while building its linear part, modern isolating materials and isolation valves with maximum tightness class and equipped with systems of automation and telemechanics were used in the process of building.

At the oil pumping stations, treatment facilities of high efficiency for rain waters and domestic waste waters were built.

Along the whole length of BPS-2 route, a system of production control of pollution sources and a system of production ecological monitoring of components of environment were built.

BPS-2's Geopolitical Meaning

Realization of the BPS-2 project is a logical continuation of the idea of creation of a Baltic independent route of Russian oil transportation, the beginning of which takes roots in December 2001, with putting into operation of the first part of BPS (in direction of Primorsk port). Nowadays, Primorsk port dispatches up to 74 million tons of oil per year, that is a third part of all the Russian export sales.

The further development of the Baltic oil pipeline system is directed to diversification of export flows of Russian oil and to lowering transit risks while its transportation to foreign markets. BPS-2 will allow to optimize the workload of the Russian oil pipeline system and to increase the level of energy security in Russia.