Russia is considering a Chinese request to double crude oil export capacity to China to 30 million mt/year (600,000 b/d) by building a second line alongside the Skovorodino-Mohe pipeline, an offshoot of the East Siberia-Pacific Ocean pipeline, Russia's energy minister Alexander Novak said Saturday.
"China is seeking to boost Skovorodino-Mohe capacity. The issue was discussed during a recent visit by [a Russian delegation headed by deputy prime minister] Arkady Dvorkovich to China in late February," he said.
China has long been seeking higher crude supplies from Russia and Novak's comments indicate that the talks have intensified recently.
China is also proposing that Russia consider technical options to boost crude supplies through the use of additives until the second line is built, Novak told reporters at a briefing.
Various estimations show that the use of additives could allow increased crude flows via the existing pipeline by 2-7 million mt/year, he said.
Russia's Rosneft, together with Transneft, currently sends 15 million mt/year of crude to China under a 20-year agreement. Supplies started in early 2011.
