Belarus is taking process oil from the Druzhba main oil pipeline for processing at refineries in Novopolotsk and Mozyr.
This was reported by the Belneftekhim concern, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
“In the absence of previous volumes of oil for refineries, and the need to optimize supply capabilities and resources, we use technological oil. This is our oil. It is located in “pipes” that are not involved in the transit of Russian raw materials to Europe,” the opposition news agency TUT.BY quotes a representative of the concern.
The Russian Transneft was informed about the actions of the Belarusian side. They say that pumping out technological oil will affect the throughput of pipes leading only to Belarusian factories.
At the beginning of the year, oil refineries in Mozyr and Novopolotsk refused to purchase oil from Russian suppliers, who supplied it at a price of 83% of the world price. The Belarusian side demanded to cancel the supplier's premium: $10 per ton.
After this, unsuccessful attempts were made to find alternative suppliers. The only result of this activity was the delivery of 80 thousand tons of oil from Norway at a price 130 dollars more expensive than the Russian one. This volume was enough to load one Belarusian plant for 3 days.
After negotiations between the presidents of the Russian Federation and Belarus in Sochi, Belarusian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Krutoy said that oil will now be supplied at world prices. However, experts doubt the veracity of this statement and are waiting for the first transactions.