Boris Govorin, the Governor of the Irkutsk region held a meeting with Transsibneft’s delegation headed by Director General Mikhail Chemakin to dicsuss issues of East Sberia- Pacific Ocean pipeline construction issues, press secretary of theGovernor informed.

Length of the ipline will amount to 4264 km of which 885,5 km passes through the territory of Irkutsk region. Project route was submitted to the Governor. Exploration over this part of the pipeline needs to be executed for two months to present all reports to the Government by May 2005. B.Govorin emphasized that due to crucial character of this issue all works are expected to conduct actively. Authorities of Ust-Kuta, Kazachinsko-Lensk and Kirensky regions should take an active part in these works.

Crude oil would be transported to Taishet from the Westarn Siberia. Reserves of Verkhnechonsky and other oil fields of East Siberia will flow into pipeline from Taishet. Full designed capacity of the pipeline is 80 MMT per year. The project has already had the positive environmental inspection and will be passed along BAM route. It excludes intrusion into taiga zone and will sufficiently make easier control over the pipe condition.

Region’s resources will be used at construction of the pipeline. It means creation of about 1400 workplaces, growing of production volumes of concrete and other materials. Commencement of works is to be planned in autumn of 2005.