The Russian government has approved an agreement with China on building a branch of the Eastern Siberia-Pacific Ocean (ESPO) oil pipeline toward China and long-term Russian oil supplies, news agencies reported.
After a cabinet meeting that discussed the agreement, which was signed in February, Regional Development Minister Viktor Basargin was quoted on Apr. 13 by Xinhua as saying that "The decision has been made."
With an expected annual throughput of 15 million tonnes of crude oil, the branch pipeline will connect Skovorodino in Russia and China's Mohe station, said the Itar-Tass news agency.
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin was quoted as saying at the meeting that the first stage of the ESPO pipeline, from Taishet in the Irkutsk region to Skovorodino in the Amur region, will be put into operation soon.