Under its articles of association, the main activities of the company are pipeline transportation; other transport agencies; retail trade in car oil; wholesale of solid, liquid and gas fuel and similar kinds of products; the construction of buildings and civil engineering construction works; non-scheduled passenger transport by land; the conveyance of cargoes by road; crop-growing and cattle-breeding (mixed agriculture); sales representation (agencies); production of bread, confectioneries and pastries; retail trade of food, drinks and tobacco in non-specialized stores; and restaurants and food supply.

The share capital of the company is LTL 63,000,000, 90% of it is held by the state and 10% by private individuals.

Sales markets
The company's main task is the transportation of oil and oil products. Crude oil is carried to the company MaZeikiu nafta and to the harbour of Ventspils in Latvia by the Polock-Birzai-Ventspils pipeline; diesel fuel is transported to Ventspils via the Samara-Ventspils pipeline across Lithuanian territory. The company transports oil and oil products on the basis of agreements. Since the same oil and oil-product pipelines pass through three states Ñ Belarus, Lithuania and Latvia -firms have to make separate agreements with Belarus and Latvia. The oil originates in Russia, this is why transport is scheduled by the Transneft company in Moscow.

Inner diagnostic testing of pipelines
A diagnostic test was made of the Polock-Birzai-Ventspils pipeline in 1995-96 to check on its efficiency and reliability. The following factors were diagnosed: curves in the pipeline, the focuses of inner and outer corrosion, mechanical damage and the quality of longitudinal seams. The quality of insulation was also checked over 62% of the pipeline's total length. The test cost LTL 580,000.

The elimination of defects
The results of the tests led to the elimination of major, dangerous defects. Three sections of the pipeline were cut out because of curves and mechanical damage and one was taken out because of corrosion. Five defects were eliminated by placing protective muffs on the damaged areas. Two others were eliminated by welding. These measures cost LTL 200,000.

Mr Ivan Dolosickij, Managing Director.

The open pumping station on the Polock-Birzai-Ventspils pipelines.