SVETLOGORSK, 17 May (BelTA) – Belarus has been informed that oil deliveries via the Druzhba pipeline in the direction of Poland may be resumed next week. The information was released by Deputy Prime Minister of Belarus Igor Lyashenko as he commented on negotiations with Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak, BelTA has learned. The negotiations took place in Moscow on 16 May.
Igor Lyashenko said: “Yesterday we heard from our colleagues, the head of [the Russian oil transport company] Transneft that according to assurances of the Russian side, the technical and contractual measures being implemented together with consumers in Western Europe will allow one line of the oil pipeline in the direction of Adamovo to start working within seven days.”
In his words, the interest of the Belarusian side is explained not only by earnings from the transit of Russian oil, but also from the export of Belarusian oil.
Apart from that, restoring the operating condition of the Druzhba oil pipeline, which the Belarusian oil refinery Naftan needs to operate at 100% of its capacity, is another key matter for Belarus. “No specific term was mentioned when the line that provides 100% of what Naftan needs (680,000 tonnes per month) may start working. This is why the working groups are staying [in Moscow]. They are going to work till the end of the day and will inform us about so-called roadmaps on this matter,” Igor Lyashenko specified.
The Belarusian side is interested in restoring the full-fledged operation of the oil refineries as soon as possible, the deputy prime minister added.
BelTA reported earlier that on 19 April Belneftekhim registered a massive decrease in the quality of the Russian oil mixture Urals flowing in transit into the main oil pipeline section operated by OAO Polotsktransneft Druzhba. The concentration of chlororganic compounds in oil exceeded standard thresholds dozens of times over. The oil pipeline system Druzhba is designed to deliver oil to Belarusian oil refineries and transport oil to Europe in transit via Belarus in two directions – via Poland and via Ukraine.
