OREANDA-NEWS. October 23, 2012. Tanker CE-BREZZE lifted the 300 millionth ton of CPC blend since loading operations began at the CPC Marine Terminal in Novorossyisk.

CPC Terminal loaded the first tanker with Kazakhstan crude on October 13 2001. The Pipeline System reached its ICP capacity of 28 MTA in 2004 and loaded its 100 millionth ton two years later and the 200 millionth ton in another three years. Throughout the years the CPC Marine Terminal has operated incident-free.

The mainline pipeline was shut down twice this year, in May and August, to tie-in some new equipment under Phase 1 Expansion to 67 MTA. In spite of the shutdowns and some throughput reduction caused by them, liftings continued regularly from the Marine Terminal and were up in September on the same month in 2011.

General Director Nikolai Platonov congratulated the CPC shareholders and personnel with the milestone loading event. "This milestone is a major achievement. To put its scale in perspective I'll say that the quantity of crude oil pumped through the pipeline system since operations began would be enough for the whole world to use for a whole month. It testifies to the fact that growing volumes of crude oil shipments from Kazakhstan and Russia now have a reliable, economically-viable, time-tested export route. CPC whose pipeline system is in the process of being expanded to more than double its capacity is getting yet another impetus and assurance of prospects for keeping its leading position in moving Caspian-origin crude into international markets. We all have yet a lot of work to do but today's achievement adds to our optimism".

In many ways the uninterrupted operation of the CPC System is ensured by the company's focus on industrial and occupational safety. By now CPC has achieved 16.5 million hours worked by Operations without a single lost time injury. CPC First Deputy General Director for Operations, Dennis Fahy, commented on the milestone tanker loading achievement by saying: "Every one of CPC's employees is committed to the most demanding international standards of safety and environmental responsibility, which is evidenced by the impressive operational performance that we have maintained throughout the years. This milestone is especially meaningful to me as I have had the fortune of being part of the CPC organization for seventy percent of these oil loadings."

The CPC pipeline system is one of the largest investment projects with foreign capital in the CIS. The length of the pipeline connecting oil fields in Western Kazakhstan with the Marine Terminal in Novorossiysk is 1,511 km. CPC's Marine Terminal is equipped with Single Point Moorings that allow to load tankers safely at a significant distance offshore, including bad weather conditions.

The Expansion Project includes upgrades of 5 existing pump stations and construction of 10 additional ones (2 in the Republic of Kazakhstan and 8 in the Russian Federation), six crude oil storage tanks near Novorossiysk, as well as third single point mooring at the CPC Marine Terminal and replacement of 88 km of pipelines in Kazakhstan with a larger diameter pipe. The total amount of the Project investments will be USD 5.4 billion.

CPC Shareholders: Russian Federation (represented by Transneft - 24% and CPC Company - 7 %) - 31%; Republic of Kazakhstan (represented by Kazmunaygaz - 19% and Kazakhstan Pipeline Ventures LLC - 1.75%) - 20.75%; Chevron Caspian Pipeline Consortium Company - 15%, LUKARCO B.V. - 12.5%, Mobil Caspian Pipeline Company - 7.5%, Rosneft-Shell Caspian Ventures Limited - 7.5%, BG Overseas Holding Limited - 2%, Eni International N.A. N.V. - 2% and Oryx Caspian Pipeline LLC - 1.75%