Petroleum Iran Oil and Gas

Caspian Sea Region: Reserves and Pipelines Tables

Table 1. Caspian Sea Region Oil and Natural Gas Reserves

Country Proven* Oil Reserves Possible** Oil Reserves Total Oil Reserves Proven* Natural Gas Reserves Possible** Natural Gas Reserves Total Natural Gas Reserves
Azerbaijan 1.2 BBL 32 BBL 33.2 BBL 4.4 Tcf 35 Tcf 39.4  Tcf
Iran*** 0.1 BBL 15 BBL 15.1 BBL 0 Tcf 11 Tcf 11 Tcf
Kazakhstan 5.4 BBL 92 BBL 97.4 BBL 65 Tcf 88 Tcf` 153 Tcf
Russia*** 2.7 BBL 14 BBL 16.7 BBL N/A N/A N/A
Turkmenistan 0.6 BBL 80 BBL 80.6 BBL 101 Tcf 159 Tcf 260 Tcf
Total 10 BBL 233 BBL 243 BBL 170.4 Tcf 293 Tcf 463.4 Tcf

Sources: Oil and Gas Journal, Energy Information Administration

* proven reserves are defined as oil and natural gas deposits that are considered 90% probable
**  possible reserves are defined as oil and natural gas deposits that are considered 50% probable
*** only the regions near the Caspian are included

BBL = billion barrels, Tcf = trillion cubic feet

Table 2. Caspian Sea Region Oil Production and Exports
(thousand barrels per day)

Country Production (1990) Est. Production (2001) Possible Production (2010) Net Exports (1990) Est. Net Exports (2001) Possible Net Exports (2010)
Azerbaijan 259 311.2 1,200 77 175.2 1,000
Kazakhstan 602 811 2,000 109 631 1,700
Iran* 0 0 0 0 0 0
Russia** 144 11 300 0 7 300
Turkmenistan 125 159 200 69 107 150
Total 1,130 1,292.2 3,700 255 920.2 3,150

Source: Energy Information Administration

* only the regions near the Caspian are included
** includes Astrakhan, Dagestan, and the North Caucasus region bordering the Caspian Sea

Table 3. Caspian Sea Region Natural Gas Production and Exports
(billion cubic feet per year)

Country Production (1990) Est. Production (2000) Possible Production (2010) Net Exports (1990) Est. Net Exports (2000) Possible Net Exports (2010)
Azerbaijan 350 200 1,100 -272 0 500
Kazakhstan 251 314.3 1,100 -257 -176.6 350
Iran* 0 0 0 0 0 0
Russia** 219 30 N/A N/A N/A N/A
Turkmenistan 3,100 1,642 3,900 2,539 1,381 3,300
Total 3,920 2,072 6,100 2,010 1,204.4 4,150

Source: Energy Information Administration

* only the regions near the Caspian are included
** includes Astrakhan, Dagestan, and the North Caucasus region bordering the Caspian Sea

Table 4. Oil Export Routes and Options in the Caspian Sea Region

Name/Location Route Crude Capacity Length Estimated Cost/Investment Status
Atyrau-Samara Pipeline Atyrau (Kazakhstan) to Samara (Russia), linking to Russian pipeline system Recently increased to 310,000 bbl/d 432 miles Increase in capacity cost approximately
$37.5 million
Existing pipeline recently upgraded by adding pumping and heating stations to increase capacity.
Baku-Ceyhan (“Main Export Pipeline”) Baku (Azerbaijan) via Tbilisi (Georgia) to Ceyhan (Turkey), terminating at the Ceyhan Mediterranean Sea port Planned: 1 million bbl/d Approximately 1,038 miles $2.9 billion One-year detailed engineering study completed in June 2002. Construction on Turkish section of pipeline began in June 2002. Completion of entire pipeline targeted for 2004, exports by Feb. 2005.
Baku-Supsa Pipeline (AIOC “Early Oil” Western Route) Baku to Supsa (Georgia), terminating at Supsa Black Sea port Recently upgraded from 115,000 to 145,000 bbl/d; proposed upgrades to between 300,000 bbl/d to 600,000 bbl/d 515 miles $600 million Exports began in April 1999; approximately 115,000 bbl/d exported via this route in 2001.
Baku-Novorossiisk Pipeline (Northern Route) Baku via Chechnya (Russia) to Novorossiisk (Russia), terminating at Novorossiisk Black Sea oil terminal 100,000 bbl/d capacity; possible upgrade to 300,000 bbl/d 868 miles; 90 miles are in Chechnya $600 million to upgrade to 300,000 bbl/d Exports began late 1997; exports in 2001 averaged 50,000 bbl/d.
Baku-Novorossiisk Pipeline (Chechnya bypass, with link to Makhachkala) Baku via Dagestan to Tikhoretsk (Russia) and terminating Novorossiisk Black Sea oil terminal Currently: 120,000 bbl/d (rail and pipeline: 160,000 bbl/d); Planned: 360,000 bbl/d (by 2005) 204 miles $140 million Completed April 2000. Eleven-mile spur connects bypass with Russia’s Caspian Sea port of Makhachkala.
Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) Pipeline Tengiz oil field (Kazakhstan) to Novorossiisk Black Sea oil terminal Currently: 565,000-bbl/d; Planned: 1.34-million bbl/d (by 2015) 990 miles $2.5 billion for Phase 1 capacity; $4.2 billion total when completed First tanker loaded in Novorossiisk (10/01); exports rising to 400,000 bbl/d by end-2002
Central Asia Oil Pipeline Kazakhstan via Turkmenistan and Afghanistan to Gwadar (Pakistan) Proposed 1 million bbl/d 1,040 miles $2.5 billion Memorandum of Understanding signed by the countries; project stalled by regional instability and lack of financing.
Iran-Azerbaijan Pipeline Baku to Tabriz (Iran) Proposed 200,000 bbl/d to 400,000 bbl/d N/A $500 million Proposed by TotalFinaElf.
Iran Oil Swap Pipeline Neka (Iran) to Tehran (Iran) 175,000 bbl/d, rising to 370,000 bbl/d 208 miles $400 million to $500 million Under construction; oil will be delivered to Neka and swapped for an equivalent amount at the Iranian Persian Gulf coast.
Kazakhstan-China Pipeline Aktyubinsk (Kazakhstan) to Xinjiang (China) Proposed 400,000 bbl/d to 800,000 bbl/d 1,800 miles $3 billion to $3.5 billion Agreement 1997; feasibility study halted in September 1999 because Kazakhstan could not commit sufficient oil flows for the next 10 years.
Kazakhstan- Turkmenistan-Iran Pipeline Kazakhstan via Turkmenistan to Kharg Island (Iran) on Persian Gulf Proposed 1million bbl/d 930 miles $1.2 billion Feasibility study by TotalFinaElf; proposed completion date by 2005.
Khashuri-Batumi Pipeline Dubendi (Azerbaijan) via Khashuri (Georgia) to Batumi Initial 70,000 bbl/d, rising to 140,000 bbl/d-160,000 bbl/d Rail system from Dubendi to Khashuri, then 105-mile pipeline from Khashuri to Batumi $70 million for pipeline renovation ChevronTexaco has canceled plans to rebuild and expand the existing pipeline.
Trans-Caspian (Kazakhstan Twin Pipelines) Aqtau (western Kazakhstan, on Caspian coast) to Baku; could extend to Ceyhan N/A 370 miles to Baku $2 billion to $4 billion (if to Ceyhan) Feasibility study agreement signed in December 1998 by Royal/Dutch Shell, ChevronTexaco, ExxonMobil, and Kazakhstan; project stalled by lack of Caspian Sea legal agreement.

 

Table 5. Natural Gas Export Routes and Options in the Caspian Sea Region

Name/Location Route Capacity Length Estimated Cost/Investment Status
Baku-Erzurum Baku (Azerbaijan) via Tbilisi (Georgia) to Erzurum (Turkey), linking with Turkish natural gas pipeline system Planned 254 Bcf capacity 540 miles $1 billion (includes up to $500 million to construct new Azeri section) Financing being arranged, construction originally scheduled to start in summer 2002.
“Centgas” (Central Asia Gas) Daulatabad (Turkmenistan) via Herat (Afghanistan) to Multan (Pakistan). Could extend to India. 700 Bcf/year 870 miles to Multan (additional 400 miles to India) $2 billion to Pakistan (additional $500 million to India) Memorandum of Understanding signed by  Turkmenistan, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Uzbekistan. Presidents of Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Turkmenistan met in May 2002 to discuss reviving this pipeline idea.
Central Asia-Center Pipeline Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan via Kazakhstan to Saratov (Russia), linking to Russian natural gas pipeline system 3.5 Tcf/year Existing route N/A Operational. Turkmenistan is using this pipeline to export a total of 8.83 Tcf to Ukraine (via Russia) from 2002 to 2006, as well as smaller amounts to Russia.
China Gas Pipeline Turkmenistan to Xinjiang (China). Could extend to Japan. 1 Tcf/year 4,1,61 miles; more if to Japan $10 billion to China; more if to Japan Preliminary feasibility study done by ExxonMobil, Mitsubishi, and CNPC
Trans-Caspian Gas Pipeline (TCGP) Turkmenbashy (Turkmenistan) via Baku and Tbilisi to Erzurum, linking with Turkish natural gas pipeline system 565 Bcf in first stage, eventually rising to 1.1 Tcf/year 1,020 miles $2 billion to $3 billion Project stalled; negotiations between Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan over pipeline volumes restarted in October 2001.
Korpezhe-Kurt-Kui Korpezhe (Turkmenistan) to Kurt-Kui (Iran) 283-350 Bcf/year; expansion proposed to 459 Bcf/year by 2005 124 miles $190 million; 2005 expansion: $300 million to $400 million Operational since December 1997.

 

Table 6. Bosporus Bypass Oil Export Routes
(for Oil Transiting the Black Sea)

Name/Location Route Crude Capacity Length Estimated Cost/Investment Status
Adria-Druzhba Integration Russian Druzhba export pipeline connected to Adria pipeline (flows reversed) to terminus at Omisalj (Croatia) 100,000 bbl/d in first full year of operation; increasing to 300,000 bbl/d 1,987 miles in total $20 million to modernize Adria, integrate the pipelines, and reverse existing flows Yukos expects exports from Omisalj via the integrated pipeline system to start by end-2002.
Albanian Macedonian Bulgarian Oil (AMBO) Pipeline Burgas (Bulgaria) via Macedonia to Vlore (Albania) on Adriatic coast 750,000 bbl/d (could be expanded to 1-million bbl/d) 560 miles $850 million to $1.1 billion Construction delayed, (proposed 2001-2002) as financing is arranged. Completion originally targeted for 2004-2005.
Burgas Alexandropoulis (Trans-Balkan Oil Pipeline) Burgas to Alexandropoulis (Greece) on the Aegean Seacoast Proposed 600,000 bbl/d to 800,000 bbl/d 178 miles $600 million Initial agreement signed in 1997 between Bulgaria, Greece, and Russia. Project delayed.
Constanta-Trieste Pipeline Constanta (Romania) via Hungary, Slovenia, and/or Croatia to Trieste (Italy) on the Adriatic Sea coast.  Omisalj (Croatia) has also been proposed as a terminus. 660,000 bbl/d 855 miles $900 million Feasibility studies completed; financing still to be arranged.
South-East European Line (SEEL) Constanta via Pancevo (Yugoslavia) and Omisalj to Trieste. Omisalj has also been proposed as a terminus. 660,000 bbl/d 750 miles $800 million Feasibility studies completed; financing still to be arranged.
Odesa-Brody Pipeline Odesa (Ukraine) to Brody (Ukraine), linking to the southern Druzhba pipeline; optional
spurs to the northern
Druzhba line at Plotsk (Poland) and/or to Gdansk on the Baltic Sea coast.
500,000 bbl/d 400 miles from Odesa to Brody $750 million for pipeline and Pivdenny terminal Construction on pipeline completed in August 2001; Pivdenny terminal became operational in December 2001. Ukraine is seeking to sign contracts with Caspian oil exporters to fill the line.