Russia to redirect 2.2 mln tons of oil due to fall of supplies to Belarus

​Russia will redirect 2.2 mln tons of oil via ports to Belarus and 1 mln tons by transit by Druzhba due to the fall of supplies, the official representative of Transneft, I. Demin, said.

In Q3 the supplies to Belarus fall by 2.25 mln tons. 500 thousand tons will be redirected via the port of Primorsk, 700 thousand tons – via the Ust-Luga port. The supplies by the northern branch of the Druzhba will be additionally increased by 750 thousand tons, by the southern branch- by 300 thousand tons. I. Demin added that the supplies to the Belarus oil refinery plants – Mozyr and Naftan – are cut by 1.125 mln tons each.

Belneftechem planned to talk with the Ministry of Energy of Russia upon the reduction of supplies of the Russian oil planned for Q3. The Minister of Energy, A. Novak, said that Russia would export free volumes to the third countries, in Q3 the volume will be 2 mln tons, in 2016 – not less than 18 mln tons. It is connected with the non-payment for gas and undersupplies of oil products from the Belarus plants. Novak said by Q4 the situation might change. Oil supplies to Belarus are duty free.