International joint-venture “Salym Petroleum Development N.V.” announced start of oil recovery in the West-Salym field being one year ahead of the schedule. In 2005 the investments in Salym project will amount to USD278 million. It is proposed also to complete by autumn of 2005 construction of 90km pipeline costing USD53 million which will connect Salym field with the main export oil pipeline of “Transneft” (Russia). The total scope of capital investments planned for West-Salym field development will be about USD1 billion.