RusEnergy

IRKUTSK, January 11 (RIA Novosti, Alexander Batalin) - Russia increased rail deliveries of its oil to China by more than 30% in 2005, to more than 7.6 million metric tons (150,000 bbl/d), Russian Railways said Wednesday. "Russia transported more than 7.6 million metric tons of crude in 2005, almost 80,000 metric tons above the target," the press office of Russian Railways' East-Siberian branch said. Volumes of Russian oil sent to China via the Trans-Siberian trunk line are expected to increase further this year, with about 790,000 mt due to be delivered this month. A construction program is under way, according to Russian Railways, to increase the capacity of the line and to modernize infrastructure at railway stations.