Energy Ministry entrusted to prepare construction of new pipeline - 13 March, 2003

The government has entrusted the Russian Energy Ministry and other related agencies to work out the final version of documents on the construction of an oil pipeline to the east by May 1, Russian Energy Minister Igor Yusufov told journalists after a Cabinet meeting. The meeting was devoted to the integrated development of oil and gas fields in Eastern Siberia and the Far East.

The Energy Minister stressed that the construction of a pipeline to the east was one of the priorities in the development of oil and gas fields in Eastern Siberia and the Far East and specified that the route of the pipeline would depend on estimations of oil reserves in this part of Russia. According to preliminary data, the reserves are estimated at 1bn tons.