But TNP vice president Filipp Nikonov said the firm was again considering the Black Sea plan, using the port of Zhelezny Rog as the pipeline's terminus instead of Novorossiysk. "This is just an idea, but we are actively discussing it. We have already submitted our proposals to the government," Mr Nikonov told a conference in Novorossiysk. TNP is preparing to merge with oil pipeline monopoly Transneft, and an industry source said earlier that a final government decision on the merger plan could be made very soon.