Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Technology Stocks : Discuss Year 2000 Issues -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: flatsville who wrote (6444)	7/10/1999 9:00:00 AM
From: John Hunt	Respond to of 9818

Azerbaijan Forces Pipeline Issue << Azerbaijani oil exporters have threatened to re-route Caspian oil around Russia due to the continuing disruptions caused by events in Chechnya. The Azeri state oil company SOCAR said the Baku-Novorossiisk pipeline has been inoperable for a total of 95 days this year, causing significant financial loss. The pipeline runs through Chechen territory and has been closed due to numerous attacks, the most recent being an explosion which forced its closure for several weeks. The line was briefly restarted on July 5, transporting 4,000 tons of oil, but only functioned for a 24 hour period due to instability in the Chechen region. In an attempt to remedy the situation, some 7,000 tons of oil were loaded onto rail cars for transport from Makhachkala directly to the port at Novorossiysk to avoid the disruption of the past six days. The Azerbaijani International Operating Consortium (AIOC) had hoped to ship up to 30,000 bpd by rail, but the route was ultimately shut off July 8 when the company's supply of storage tanks at the reloading station in Izerbash was exhausted. Measures are being taken to switch the reloading station to the Makhachkala side of the rail line, but it is unclear if or when this will occur. SOCAR said July 9 that if Russia does not take "decisive measures," they will go ahead with arrangements that would have the oil flow handled by a separate pipeline from Baku to the Georgian port of Supsa. However, the current capabilities of the Baku-Supsa line are limited at best, and the recent increase in flow caused by the Baku-Novorossiysk closure caused a brief shutdown in the Baku-Supsa line until an 80,000 ton tanker could be loaded with the stored oil. The pipeline and facilities at Supsa are clearly inadequate to handle the volume of oil coming out of Baku, and they require tankers to pass through the Bosporus, a practice that is frowned upon by Turkey ... more ... >> stratfor.com Thought you might be interested in this ... Can't help if oil supply in that part of the world is disrupted at the same time as Y2K.