PETROLEUM PIPELINE UNDER CONSTRUCTION MU GIA PASS AREA LAOS/NORTH VIETNAM

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: NGA Records (Formerly NIMA)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP85T00339R000100090002-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 5, 2009
• Sequence Number: 2
• Publication Date: February 6, 1969
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2009/03/05: CIA-RDP85T00339R000100090002-4
NATIONAL PNOTOOAP1IC U(TERPRETATI0N WITS -
LAOS-NORTH VIETNAM POL PIPELINE CONNECTION U/C ;.Y
' MU GIA PASS AREA by
ABOVE GROUND PIPELINE h PIPELINE AND POL STORAGE ARE
NORTH VIETNAM ' ;f 4 NORTH VIETNAM'c
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NORTH sarta iaa
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;'.r PIPELINE
PROBABLE PIPE SECTIONS ON TRUCKS ABOVE GROUND PIPELINE
NORTH VIETNAM
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NPIC M5113/69
Approved For Release 2009/03/05: CIA-RDP85T00339R000100090002-4
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 Approved For Release 2009/03/05: CIA-RDP85T00339R000100090002-4
SECRET
(c) NATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHIC INTERPRETATION CENTER
REFERENCES:
ATTACHMENT TO M-5713
6 FEBRUARY 1969
PAGE 1
PETROLEUM PIPELINE UNDER CONSTRUCTION
MU GIA PASS AREA
LAOS/NORTH VIETNAM
1. SIGNIFICANCE:
THIS BRIEFING BOARD DEPICTS THE FIRST IDENTIFICATION OF A PROBABLE
PETROLEUM PIPELINE IN LAOS AND THE SOUTHWARD EXTENSION OF THE NORTH-SOUTH
PIPELINE IN NORTH VIETNAM.
2. LOCATION:
MU GIA PASS AREA OF LAOS AND NORTH VIETNAM.
3. BACKGROUND:
THE NORTH-SOUTH PETROLEUM PIPELINE WAS INITIALLY IDENTIFIED IN
WHEN 18.7 NM OF PIPE EXTENDING BETWEEN THE NGHIA DONG PETROLEUM STORAGE AREA
AND THE LANG LUYEN PETROLEUM STORAGE AREA WAS OBSERVED. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE LINE
WAS EXTENDED TO THE PHU YEN STORAGE AREA TO THE NORTH AND A SOUTHWEST EXTENSION
WAS BEGUN OFF OF THE MAIN LINE APPROXIMATELY FOUR NM ABOVE THE SOUTHERN TERMINUS.
MORE RECENT ADDITIONS TO THE PIPE SYSTEM INCLUDE THE CONSTRUCTION OF AN EAST-
WEST PIPELINE EXTENDING WEST FROM THE REACTIVATED VINH PETROLEUM PRODUCTS STORAGE
AREA AND APPARENTLY CONNECTING WITH THE NORTH-SOUTH PIPELINE IN THE VICINITY OF
THE SONG CA CROSSING. (THIS CONNECTION AND THE WESTERN HALF OF THE EAST-WEST
LINE HAVE NOT YET BEEN CONFIRMED BY PHOTOGRAPHY.) THE SOUTHWEST EXTENSION OF THE
These notes have been prepared for briefing purposes only and should not be used for detailed analytical work. Their use
should be restricted to the particular briefing board(s) they were prepared for and must be considered valid only for the re-
porting period as indicated by the date of issue. For information concerning these notes contact Chief, Collateral Support
Division, NPIC.
GROUP 1: EXCLUDED FROM
AUTOMATIC DOWNGRADING
AND DECLASSIFICATION
Approved For Release 2009/03/05: CIA-RDP85T00339R000100090002-4
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 Approved For Release 2009/03/05: CIA-RDP85T00339R000100090002-4
SECRET
(c) NATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHIC INTERPRETATION CENTER
REFERENCES: ATTACHMENT TO M-5713
6 FEBRUARY 1969
PAGE 2
NORTH-SOUTH LINE HAS CONTINUED DOWN THE ROUTE 15/NGAN SAU (STREAM) AT AN
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INCREASED RATE SINCE EARLY A CONTINUOUS LINE 25X1
HAD PROBABLY BEEN ESTABLISHED AS FAR SOUTH AS BAI DUC THON (1802N 10552E),
ALTHOUGH SHORT SEGMENTS OF THE PIPELINE HAVE NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED DUE TO
PHOTOGRAPHIC QUALITY.
4. MISSION READOUT:
PHOTOGRAPHY OF REVEALS THE FIRST INDICATION OF A 25X1
PROBABLE PETROLEUM PIPELINE UNDER CONSTRUCTION IN LAOS. AT PRESENT, APPROXIMATELY
12 NM OF INTERMITTENT PROBABLE PIPELINE OR ALIGNMENT CLEARANCE HAS BEEN OBSERVED,
THE NORTHERNMOST VISIBLE PORTION OF WHICH IS LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 8 NM SOUTH OF
MU GIA PASS.
DEPICTED ON THE GRAPHIC IS A PORTION OF A PROBABLE UNDERGROUND PIPE-
LINE AND A PORTION OF PIPELINE OPEN TRENCHING IN NORTH VIETNAM AND LAOS.
PHOTOGRAPHY OF REVEALS FOUR INTERMITTENT SEGMENTS OF 25X1
PIPELINE AND PROBABLE ALIGNMENT CLEARING BETWEEN BAI DUC THON AND MU GIA PASS,
GENERALLY PARALLELING AND EAST OF ROUTE 15 (SEE MAP). GAPS IN THE PRESENT
ALIGNMENT OF THIS SECTION OF THE LINE ARE CAUSED BY INDEPENDENT SEGMENTAL
CONSTRUCTION OR ALIGNMENT OBSCURED BY DENSE VEGETATION. A PORTION OF ONE OF
THESE SEGMENTS SHOWING THE ABOVE GROUND PIPELINE PHOTOGRAPHED ON 25X1
IS DEPICTED ON THE GRAPHIC. DEVIATION FROM THE ROUTE 15 ALIGNMENT IS MOST I
NOTICEABLE IN THE VICINITY OF THE ROUTE 15/101 JUNCTION WHERE THE PIPELINE IS BEING
These notes have been prepared for briefing purposes only and should not be used for detailed analytical work. Their use
should be restricted to the particular briefing board(s) they were prepared for and must be considered valid only for the re-
porting period as indicated by the date of issue. For information concerning these notes contact Chief, Collateral Support
Division, NPIC.
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Approved For Release 2009/03/05: CIA-RDP85T00339R000100090002-4 1
 Approved For Release 2009/03/05: CIA-RDP85T00339R000100090002-4
SECRET
(c) NATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHIC INTERPRETATION CENTER
REFERENCES: ATTACHMENT TO M-5713
6 FEBRUARY 1969
PAGE 3
CONSTRUCTED TO THE EAST PROBABLY TO SERVICE SEVERAL NEW PETROLEUM STORAGE AREAS
NEAR THE WESTERN TERMINUS OF ROUTE 101 (SEE GRAPHIC).
CARRYING PROBABLE PIPE SECTIONS ON ROUTE 15. DEPICTED ON THE GRAPHIC ARE FOUR
TRUCKS OBSERVED ON PHOTOGRAPHY OF NINE NM NORTH OF THE LAOTIAN 25X1
BORDER.
WERE OBSERVED ON THE SIDE OF ROUTE 15. A SHORT SEGMENT OF PIPELINE HAS BEEN
EMPLACED IN A PROBABLE ALIGNMENT CLEARING PARALLEL TO ROUTE 15 IN THE SAME AREA
(DEPICTED ON GRAPHIC).
5. REMARKS:
PIPELINE SOUTH OF BAI DUC THON AND THE PROBABLE PIPELINE UNDER CONSTRUCTION IN LAOS
THE NORTH VIETNAMESE APPARENTLY INTEND TO EXTEND THIS SYSTEM INTO-LOAS GENERALLY
ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS SOUTHBOUND CARGO TRUCKS HAVE BEEN OBSERVED
ON PHOTOGRAPHY OF FOUR STACKS OF PROBABLE PIPE SECTIONS 25X1
FROM THE ALIGNMENT OF THE EXTENSION OF THE NORTH-SOUTH PETROLEUM
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PARALLELING THE MAIN LOGISTIC NETWORK IN THE LAOS PANHANDLE.
MISSIONS:
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These notes have been prepared for briefing purposes only and should not be used for detailed analytical work. Their use
should be restricted to the particular briefing board(s) they were prepared for and must be considered valid only for the re-
porting period as indicated by the date of issue. For information concerning these notes contact Chief, Collateral Support
Division, NPIC.
SECRET
Approved For Release 2009/03/05: CIA-RDP85T00339R000100090002-4
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 Approved For Release 2009/03/05: CIA-RDP85T00339R000100090002-4
CONFIDENTIAL
NATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHIC INTERPRETATION CENTER
03 o
NPIC CONTROL NUMBER
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1
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REPRODUCTION OF THIS DOC-
UMENT IN WHOLE OR IN PART
IS PROHIBITED EXCEPT WITH
TAT. PPRAITCCT1W (1P' TI-H?
NATIONAL SUBSTANTIVE
BRIEFING AIDS
COLLECTION
RETURN TO:
BRIEFING AIDS UNIT
ROOM 4S-473G
IP FM 411 11
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Approved For Release 2009/03/05: CIA-RDP85T00339R000100090002-4