TOMSK, Western Siberia, April 26 (RIA Novosti) - Transneft could start construction of the East Siberia-Pacific Ocean Pipeline on Friday, the company's president said Wednesday.
"As of today we have carried out all procedures necessary to start construction, and are ready to start realization of this grand and unique project on Friday," Semyon Vainshtok told President Vladimir Putin at a meeting in the West Siberian oil city of Tomsk.
The pipeline - estimated to cost $11.5 billion - is slated to pump up to 80 million metric tons a year (1.6 mln of bbl/d) from Siberia to the Russian Far East before being sent on to the Asia-Pacific region, in particular to energy-hungry China. The first stage of construction was initially expected to be completed by the end of 2008.
The pipeline has run into controversy, though, particularly over a stretch projected to run less than 800 meters from Lake Baikal, the world's largest body of fresh water and a Unesco World Heritage Site. Environmental groups have said that Baikal's delicate ecosystem could face massive damage in case of oil leakages or accidents on the pipeline.
Speaking Wednesday at a meeting of Siberian regional leaders, President Vladimir Putin said the pipeline should run beyond a proposed line 40 km to the north of Lake Baikal.
