China
has confirmed its readiness to import around 27 mln tonnes of Russian
oil in 2016, Vice-President of Russia’s pipeline operator Transneft
Sergey Andronov said on Thursday.
"16.5 mln tonnes [will be delivered via] the Skovorodino-Mohe
pipeline, 7 mln [tonnes] will be supplied across Kazakhstan and around
3.5 mln tonnes will be exported within the intergovernmental agreement
via the port of Kozmino," he said.
According to the data provided by the energy ministry, Russia
exported 26.68 mln tonnes of oil to China in 2015, a 17.5% increase
compared with 2014. Transneft boosted oil exports to China in 2015 to 16
mln tonnes from 15.6 mln tonnes.
On March 30, Rosneft said oil supplies under direct contracts with
Chinese partners surged by 14% to 31.1 mln tonnes in 2015. First transit
oil supplies to China through Mongolia were made last December, the
company reported. Two intergovernmental agreements stipulate Rosneft’s
oil supplies to China at 20 mln tonnes per annum. Particularly, 16.5 mln
tonnes will be delivered via the Skovorodino-Mohe pipeline in 2016.
(ITAR-TASS)