RusEnergy

12 February 2008 - Upstream OnLine - London-listed Imperial Energy said today that oil from its Snezhnoye field in Western Siberia is now flowing direct into the Transneft national oil transportation system. The first oil pumped into the Transneft system at Zavyalovo is about 35,000 barrels that had been kept in storage tanks until Imperial’s tie-in was opened. The direct connection unlocks the potential of the explorer’s blocks 74 and 77, north west of the Ob River in the Tomsk region. Both of Imperial’s west of the Ob pipelines, the 152 kilometre Maiskoye-Luginetskoye pipeline and the 49 kilometre Snezhnoye-Zavyalovo pipeline are now fully operational and flowing oil, saving road transportation costs previously incurred. Imperial also said that construction permits have been granted for its third pipeline, 152 kilometres in length, currently being built linking its block 80, east of the Ob River, to its Zavyalovo transfer station. First oil through that pipeline is targeted to flow in autumn this year.