MOSCOW, Jan. 15 (Xinhua) -- The second section of the Eastern Siberia-Pacific Ocean (ESPO) pipeline officially started welding on Thursday, said Russia's Vostochnaya oil company.

    The first phase of the second section of ESPO project will construct eight pumping stations with a total oil storage of 300,000 cubic meters, while the storage capacity of stations at Skovorodino and Kozmino will be later enlarged with another 150,000 cubic meters.

    The ESPO pipeline running from Taishet in Eastern Siberia to the Pacific port of Kozmino is more than 4,000 km long. It is in a bid to expand Asia-Pacific market and diversify Russia's oil export.

    The first section of the project, which has been officially launched on Dec. 28, 2009, includes pipeline construction from Taishet to Skovorodino.

    The second section will see the complete operation of the oil pipeline as its leg between Skovorodino and Kozmino will be paved. Currently oil products have to be transported to the terminus via rail after they reach Skovorodino.

    The ESPO pipeline will realize an annual oil capacity of 50 million tons after the second section is finished by 2014 to 2015.