Energy Ministry reveals when CPC will return to full capacity

Earlier, the Ministry of Energy announced that on December 15, the CPC’s throughput capacity would be completely restored following the replacement of hoses at SPM-3.

However, later at a meeting with journalists, he noted that the consortium may extend the timeline due to strong winds and waves that hinder repair works.

“The weather is complicating the repair works. The southeast wind is very strong, the waves are about two meters high, and this wind also causes a current. Divers descend underwater in a special dome. From there, they exit the dome and carry out repair work. Strong internal currents in the Novorossiysk Bay make this work even more difficult,” Akkenzhenov explained.

The minister also spoke about the nature of the damage inflicted on SPM-2 by unmanned boats on November 29.

“A large breach measuring 2.5 by 3 meters resulted from a targeted explosion at the facility. Divers are currently working to restore the buoyancy of this SPM. Next, it will be necessary to enter the structure and assess the extent of damage to the technological equipmentnter. If we manage to carry out the repair work, then SPM-2 will also be put back into operation,” he said.

According to him, the ministries and national oil and gas companies have plans to deliver two new SPMs from the UAE.

“The delivery was initially scheduled for April, but we are now arranging it and expect to bring them already in January. This is a complex technological equipment, which needs to be delivered directly to the installation site - to the Novorossiysk Port,” the minister added.

Earlier, Minister Yerlan Akkenzhenov unveiled the progress of the talks with Turkmenistan on Kazakhstan’s accession to the project of construction of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline, and on the development of the Galkynysh field.