The inspection and maintenance works performed at the terminal’s offshore loading buoy met the annual inspection requirements for the terminal, as well as those for a five—year inspection. Mazeikiu Nafta’s specialists along with representatives of the terminal’s hose and buoy manufacturer, Lithuanian State technical supervision inspection representatives, and an inspector from the American Bureau of Shipping provided oversight and quality assurance for all maintenance works performed.

According to Tom Schneider, Mazeikiu Nafta’s general director, “The main results of the maintenance and inspection works included testing of all of the hoses of the terminal’s offshore buoy, replacement of one single-carcass floating hose with a brand new double-carcass floating hose and inspection of the sub-sea double-carcass hoses. We verified all of the offshore system to meet the safety and operational requirements and, after the replacements we’ve done during this maintenance, the terminal’s offshore buoy employs only double-carcass sub-sea and floating hoses”.
Mazeikiu Nafta's specialists together with crews from Smit Octo vessels and a special diving support vessel, tested and replaced hoses, drained the ballast compartment of the buoy, and cleaned and inspected anchor chains of the offshore buoy.

“Mazeikiu Nafta’s specialists inspected the anchor chains and carried out the on site pressure test for the whole loading system, witnessed by ABS and Dunlop. Results of the tests performed during the maintenance works confirm the good condition of the whole system and readiness of the terminal to safely restart loading operations.”—added Schneider.

According to the Russian crude oil export schedule, Mazeikiu Nafta’s Butinge terminal expects the next tanker to arrive on August 8–9. Butinge has exported over 2,7 million tons of Russian crude oil over the first seven months of 2002.

Date: August 6, 2002
Contacts:
Tadas Augustauskas
AB Mazeikiu Nafta
tel. 370 93 92608
fax 370 93 92579
tadas@nafta.lt