MINSK, 21 June (BelTA) – The Belarusian side has started carrying out another stage of the roadmap designed to replace polluted Russian oil with quality oil in the oil pipeline system Druzhba. The removal of polluted oil in the Unecha-Polotsk pipeline has begun, the press service of the Belarusian state petrochemical concern Belneftekhim told BelTA.
According to OAO Polotsktransneft Druzhba, the removal of polluted Russian oil in the Unecha-Polotsk pipeline and its replacement with clean oil began at 9:07 on 21 June.
“Oil is being moved from Unecha towards Polotsk and then towards Nevel via the Surgut-Polotsk pipeline using reverse mode,” Belneftekhim representatives said.
The removal of polluted oil from the first stage of the oil pipeline is supposed to be finished on 3 July. The removal of polluted oil from the second stage of the Unecha-Polotsk pipeline will begin then to last till the end of July. The removal of polluted oil from the Belarusian section of the Surgut-Polotsk pipeline will be the final stage. It will last till 15 August.
Apart from that, in line with the roadmap adopted by the sides OAO Gomeltransneft Druzhba is taking steps to remove polluted oil from the third line of the oil pipeline Druzhba in the section between Kobrin and Mozyr and further into the Russian territory. As of 21 June the pipeline pig has travelled for 259km from Kobrin. The removal of polluted oil from this line of the oil pipeline from the border to the line operation dispatcher station Mozyr is supposed to be finished by early July. The removal of polluted oil from the second line of the oil pipeline Druzhba between Belarusian Mozyr and Russian Unecha will begin after that. It is supposed to be finished in mid-August.
Thus, the oil pipeline system Druzhba in the Belarusian territory will be fully cleaned in mid-August.
According to Belneftekhim, there is still about 620,000 tonnes of substandard oil in pipelines in Belarus.
The source also noted that the quality of oil coming from Russia and being transported to Belarusian oil refineries as well as towards Poland and Ukraine is closely monitored in all sections of the oil pipeline Druzhba in Belarus. Samples taken by the accredited lab show standard oil quality parameters.
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 have suffered financial losses.
