Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1949-08-11
u. ). Firms Due 10 Start
Work Soon on Their
Near East Oil Pipeline
By the Assoeiofsd Press

BY the Associated Press
BEIRUT. Lebanon, Aug. IL
Major American oil interests IN
the Middle East will begin work
soon on the western end of their
giant Persian Gulf-to-Mediter-
ranean pipeline.
More than $50 miles Of the
/ OCT mile-long line already has
been laid by the Trans-Arabian
Pipeline Co. at the eastern end
In Saudi Arabia.
Now operations at the western
terminus are ready to begin after
a long delay until transit rights
could be obtained from the Syr-
ian government.
The first shipload Of supplies
for the western operations are due
to arrive in Beirup today on
the s. s. Admission City. The ship
will bring about 1000 tons Of con-
struction equipment and mate
rails. This will include trucks,
tractors and cranes to handle the
81 foot-long steel sections which
make up the line.
This material will be moved to
a construction camp and terminal
to be built at nearby Sidon-the
western end Of the line and the
eventual site Of q huge refinery
and tank farm according to the
plans.
U. 8. Technicians Due.
Several hundred American tech
nicians are expected to arrive In
August to get the Sidon camp
built so that all will be ready
when the first pipe starts coming
into Beirut in September.
+ The pipe is coming by ship
from the West Coast Of the United
States. Making the pipe Is q
tremendous operation. involving
1923, 900 tons Of steel for 1t and
the six pumping stations to be
put up along the line.
The first shipload Of pipe is due
into Beirut September 4. Another
shipload is scheduled to arrive
September 2e and a third on Octo-
Der 8. Thereafter plans call for
two ships loaded with pipe per
month.
About half the pipe is 80 inches
and the rest Is 81 inches. So it
is shipped with one 30-inch Sec
ton nested inside a 31-inch Sec
ton.
It is understood the company
plans to use the railroad running
through the mountains between
Beirut and Damascus to carry the
pipe If satisfactory freight charge
arrangements can be agreed on.
Trucks will be utilized to haul
the pipe along the rest Of the line.
Local laborers to Be Trained.
Actual construction of the line
will be under supervision Of the
Williams Brothers Overseas Con-
struction Corp. Their American
specialists and technicians will
train the large numbers Of local
laborers for the work. Although
no figure has been made public
on the expected total number Of
local employees, 1t Is expected to be
about the same as the 1880 now
working on the eastern end.
f. The company Itself will not
bring In many American person.
=, mel. One source said possibly 40
families might be brought to
Beirut in connection with the
construction.
Some material and equipment.
moved out of Beirut q year ago
when plans for the line were
dropped temporarily. is coming
back from the Persian Gulf area
the last of August on the 8. 8.
Drew Victory. Other equipment
has been moved by truck convoy
from the Saudi Arabian end to .
construction site to be erected in
k1dSIIcIQlt6 JOTQaQ.
Lines to be Joined.
The target date for completion
Of the 5000, 000, 900 project is
around January of 1951-eighteen
months in the future. Then, 1t is
hoped, the Eastern and Western
sections will be joined somewhere
in Western Saudi Arabia. When
completed the line. with its six
pumping stations, will have q Ca
pacity Of 100000 barrels daily.
This may be increased to 500, 900
with the addition Of six more
pumping stations in the future.
The new line will tap the giant
fields of the Arabian American
Oil Co. (Aramco) which has leases
to 1899 and beyond on 40, 900
square miles in Saudi Arabia.
Aramco Is owned jointly by Stand
ard Oil Of California, Standard
Oil Co. IN. j., the Texas Co. and