Imperia Announces Tomsk Pipeline Update

Imperia announced that oil from its Snezhnoye field, Block 77, Tomsk, Western Siberia, is now flowing direct into the Transneft national oil transportation system through Imperial’s own tie-in and custody transfer station at Zavyalovo, with all written agreements and authorisations from the state company Transneft having been received.

The first oil flowing into the Transneft system at Zavyalovo is the approximately 35,000 barrels which had been retained in the storage tanks pending the opening up of the tie-in.

The direct connection unlocks the potential of Imperial’s Blocks 74 and 77, north west of the Ob River and renders the Company’s wholly owned 49km North Western pipeline fully operational, saving road transportation costs previously being incurred.

Accordingly both of Imperial’s west of the Ob pipelines, the 152km Maiskoye-Luginetskoye pipeline and the 49km Snezhnoye-Zavyalovo pipeline are now fully operational and flowing oil.

Imperial also announced that all construction permissions have been granted for its third pipeline, 152 km in length, currently being built linking its Block 80, East of the Ob River, to its Zavyalovo custody transfer station. First oil through that pipeline is targeted to flow in autumn 2008.