Russian rail hopes to ship oil to China post-2010
ST PETERSBURG, Russia, Feb 22 (Reuters) - Russia's state railway hopes to keep some crude oil volumes for shipments to China after 2010, when Russia builds its first pipeline to Asia, the firm's head said on Friday.
"In 2010 oil will go to the pipeline except for expensive crude brands, whose owners will not want to mix them up with heavy crude," Vladimir Yakunin told reporters.
"I think those supplies won't be insignificant. A few million tonnes per year," he added.
Last year, the railway shipped 8.2 million tonnes of crude to China, all from Russia's largest oil producer, Rosneft (ROSN.MM).
Volumes are expected to remain the same in 2008-2009.
The railway had planned to ship as much as 30 million tonnes per year to China but the plan never materialised as oil firms say the route is more expensive than supplies to traditional European destinations.
Russian pipeline monopoly Transneft is expected to complete its first pipeline to China by the end of 2009, one year later than planned, to export up to 30 million tonnes or 600,000 barrels per day to China.
The route is part of a plan by Russia, the world's second-largest crude exporter, to diversify away from European markets and ship more oil and products to Asia. (Reporting by Dmitry Zhdannikov; editing by James Jukwey)
