First oil pumping station at Baltic pipeline due in mid-August

SMOLENSK, August 6 (Itar-Tass) -- First oil pumping station of the
Baltic Pipeline System will go operational in mid-August, Smolensk Region'
s Deputy Governor Alexander Dolgov said.
The route of the pipeline system crosses the Bryansk, Smolensk, Tver,
Novgorod and Leningrad regions, and the part in the Smolensk region is the
longest one. The main purpose of the pipeline is to export oil from the
outlet to the Baltic Sea. This week, Transneft has started to fill the
second stage of the Baltic pipeline system with technological oil.
The total length of the line part of the BPS-2 is 1,000 kilometres.
Full operation of the first stage is scheduled for December 2011. Total
investments in construction will amount 100 billion roubles.
The Smolensk region plans to build two more pumping stations.
Projected revenues of the region's consolidated budget are forecasted at
200-250 million roubles.
"For the Smolensk region it is a serious investment project which will
provide additional funds to the budget, offer jobs and use capacities of
Smolensk's enterprises", - said Alexander Dolgov.