The ESPO Pipeline is a project of the Russian pipeline operator Transneft and a showcase project for Voith hydrodynamic variable-speed fluid couplings, which Transneft has chosen for its operations in Russian Siberia. The pipeline operator is extending the throughput capacity of the Eastern Siberia Pacific Ocean Pipeline (ESPO Pipeline) and adding four additional pumping stations to the already existing ones. 

In all four stations, Voith variable-speed fluid couplings will control the pipeline pumps. Therefore, the company is to deliver a total of 17 hydrodynamic variable-speed fluid couplings to Transneft between January and December 2016. Sixteen of them will be installed directly; one coupling will be kept by the operator as a reserve.

The 715 SVL variable-speed fluid couplings that have been ordered transmit power of up to 6,350 kW at 3,000 rpm. Unlike electronic control applications, the couplings can be installed directly into potentially explosive atmospheres. They do not need their own building to be constructed or an additional gearbox with oil station either. For the operator, this means potential savings on investment, as well as maintenance costs.

The ESPO pipeline stretches over a total distance of 4,740 kilometers from Taishet to the transition point of the Kozmino oil refinery at the Pacific east coast of the country. In 2009, the first section (Taishet to Skovorodino) was completed; the second, from Skovorodino to Kozmino, followed in 2012. While the pumps in the pumping stations of the first section are controlled electronically, Transneft already uses four Voith fluid couplings in each of nine pumping stations in the second section.