MINSK, 10 October (BelTA) – Belarus will calculate the size of the compensation for polluted Russian oil after completing the overhaul of its oil refineries in November. Deputy Chairman of the Belarusian state petrochemical concern Belneftekhim Andrei Bunakov made the statement in the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of Belarus on 10 October, BelTA has learned.
The official said: “The final size of the compensation will be calculated after our oil refineries are repaired. While Naftan has nearly finished a major overhaul, Mozyr Oil Refinery, which had to deal with impure oil directly, will finish its own repairs in November. The final sum will be calculated after that.”
Andrei Bunakov did not rule out the possibility of the final sum including lost profits from oil transit.
He did not specify any sum of the compensation the Belarusian side may seek.
BelTA reported earlier that on 19 April Belneftekhim registered a massive decrease in the quality of the Russian oil mixture Urals coming via the oil pipeline system Druzhba. The concentration of chlororganic compounds in oil exceeded standard thresholds dozens of times over. Both Belarusian oil refineries – OAO Naftan and Mozyr Oil Refinery – were forced to reduce their workload and suffered financial losses. Damage was also caused to the pipeline system.
