Samsun-Ceyhan Pipeline

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Samsun Ceyhan Pipeline (SCP, also: Trans-Anatolian Pipeline) is a planned crude oil pipeline between Black Sea oil terminal in Samsun and Mediterranean oil terminal in Ceyhan in Turkey. The aim of this project is to provide an alternative route for Russian and Kazakhstan’s oil and to ease the traffic burden of the Bosporus and the Dardanelles.

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[edit] History

The project started in 2003, when Italy’s energy company Eni studied possible oil transport routes from the North Caspian area. In 2004, based on the pre-feasibility study, the Samsun-Ceyhan route was selected. Another partner of the project, Turkish company Çalık Enerji, carried out technical and commercial studies, and filed for the construction licence on 31 March 2004.[1]

On 26 September 2005, Eni and Çalık Enerji signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the joint cooperation on the project. A feasibility study of the pipeline was completed in March 2006. The construction license was granted in June 2006.[1] The Front End Engineering Design Phase (FEED) was completed at the beginning of 2007, and the ground breaking ceremony, attended by the Italian Minister for Economic Development Pierluigi Bersani and the Turkish Minister for Energy & Natural Resources Hilmi Güler, was held in Ceyhan on 24 April 2007.[2]

[edit] Technical features and financing

The project consists of the new unloading terminal and tank farm close to Samsun, pipeline from the Samsun terminal to Ceyhan, and additional storage capacity in Ceyhan. It will be connected with existing Ceyhan loading terminal.[1]

The length of the pipeline will be 555 kilometres (345 mi). Starting from Sarız, the pipeline will follow Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline’s corridor. The diameter of the pipe will vary from 42 inches (1,070 mm) to 48 inches (1,220 mm). It will have 4 pumping stations and 1 pressure reducing station. The designed capacity is 1.5-million-barrel-per-day (240,000 m³/d) and initial capacity is 1-million-barrel-per-day (160,000 m³/d). The tank farm in Samsun will have storage capacity of 6 million barrels (950,000 m³) and the additional tank farm in Ceyhan 8 million barrels (1,300,000 m³).[1]

The pipeline is scheduled to become operational in 2010. The project costs are expected to be around $2 billion.[3]

[edit] Pipeline company

The pipeline will be constructed, owned and operated by the Trans-Anatolian Pipeline Company (TAPCO), a joint venture of Eni and Çalık Enerji incorporated in Turkey.[4] Both shareholders have a 50% participating interest. Eni and Çalık Enerji are considering the participation of other investors, preferably oil companies which have or will have oil production in Kazakhstan and Russia or traders purchasing significant oil volumes in the Black Sea.[1] It was announced that Indian Oil Corporation will have a 12.5% stake in the project.[4]

[edit] Environmental impact

The ships currently passing Turkish Straits carry 120 million barrels (19,000,000 m³) of crude oil annually. This figure is expected to exceed 250 million barrels (40,000,000 m³) in the next 10 years. Tanker traffic in the straits is expected to be reduced by 50 percent when the Samsun-Ceyhan Pipeline will become operational.[5][6]

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d e Trans Anatolian Pipeline Project (PDF). International Energy Agency (October 2006). Retrieved on 2007-04-26.
  2. ^ Eni: ground breaking ceremony for Trans Anatolian Pipeline Project. Press Release. Eni (2007-04-24). Retrieved on 2007-04-26.
  3. ^ Eni breaks ground on Trans-Anatolian line. Oil & Gas Journal (requires registration) (2007-04-24). Retrieved on 2007-04-26.
  4. ^ a b IOC acquires 12.5 % stake in TAPCO. Alexander’s Gas & Oil Connections (2006-12-21). Retrieved on 2007-04-26.
  5. ^ Samsun-Ceyhan Pipeline Scheduled for 2009. Zaman (23 June 2006). Retrieved on 2007-04-26.
  6. ^ Turkey to build new oil pipeline to ease burden of Istanbul, Canakkale straits. People’s Daily Online (2006-06-24). Retrieved on 2007-04-26.
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