Belarus govt expects oil refining output to grow 3% yoy in 2021 to 16.8m tons
<p> MINSK, Oct 29 – PrimePress. Deputy Prime Minister of Belarus Yury Nazarov says Belarusian oil refineries (Mozyr Oil Refinery, Gomel Oblast, and Naftan, Novopolotsk, Vitebsk Oblast) will increase oil processing by 3% year on year in 2021 to 16.8 million tons. </p> <p> </p> <p> Deputy Prime Minister Yury Nazarov made a statement to this effect during a joint session of both chamber of Belarus’ parliament on 28 October. </p> <p> </p> <p> In his words, in the context of Western sanctions in oil refining, measures have been taken to maintain the ability to export petroleum products in the required volume. “The implementation of these measures has made it possible to resolve the issue of loading of both refineries. By the end of this year they will be loaded with an annual processing volume of 16.8 million tonnes, which is almost 500,000 tonnes more than last year. We believe that this is the optimal workload for today,” he said. </p> <p> </p> <p> The losses of Belarusian oil refineries as a result of western sanctions have already reached $80 million, he admitted. </p> <p> </p> <p> Nazarov reminded that the Belarusian government together with its Russian partners is working on redirecting sanctioned Belarusian cargoes (oil products and potash fertilizers) from the Baltic States to the Russian direction. “This scheme is already working with the Russian side in terms of oil products, we have not lost anything in terms of logistics,” he said. </p> <p> </p> <p> To counter and minimise the impact of sanctions measures, the government has set up an interagency working group of 17 ministries and agencies, including the Presidential Administration, the State Secretariat of the Security Council, the State Control Committee, the State Security Committee and the National Bank. </p> <p> </p> <p> As previously reported, on 24 June 2021, the EU Council imposed sanctions against major sectors of the Belarusian economy. The sanctions came as the EU response to the escalation of human rights violations in Belarus, as well as the incident with the emergency landing of a Ryanair flight in Minsk. The sanctions also target exports of Belarusian petrochemical products to the EU. </p> <p> </p> <p> There are two refineries currently operating in Belarus – Mozyr NPZ Refinery (Gomel Oblast) and Naftan (Novopolotsk, Vitebsk Oblast). </p> <p> </p> <p> The Mozyr NPZ refinery was established in 1975 and transformed into a joint-stock company in 1994, with a 42.757% stake currently owned by the state. </p> <p> </p> <p> Launched in 1963, Naftan is Belarus’ largest refinery and one of the largest in Europe. In 2008, Naftan incorporated another Belarusian refinery Polimir. 99.83% of the company belongs to the state. Naftan is capable of producing about 400,000 tonnes of diesel fuel per year. Naftan produces euro-4 and euro-5 diesel fuel, petrol and lubricants, which are exported to the EU, the Middle East and the United States. End </p>
2021-10-30
Primepress
Belarus govt expects oil refining output to grow 3% yoy in 2021 to 16.8m tons
MINSK, Oct 29 – PrimePress. Deputy Prime Minister of Belarus Yury Nazarov says Belarusian oil refineries (Mozyr Oil Refinery, Gomel Oblast, and Naftan, Novopolotsk, Vitebsk Oblast) will increase oil processing by 3% year on year in 2021 to 16.8 million tons.
Deputy Prime Minister Yury Nazarov made a statement to this effect during a joint session of both chamber of Belarus’ parliament on 28 October.
In his words, in the context of Western sanctions in oil refining, measures have been taken to maintain the ability to export petroleum products in the required volume. “The implementation of these measures has made it possible to resolve the issue of loading of both refineries. By the end of this year they will be loaded with an annual processing volume of 16.8 million tonnes, which is almost 500,000 tonnes more than last year. We believe that this is the optimal workload for today,” he said.
The losses of Belarusian oil refineries as a result of western sanctions have already reached $80 million, he admitted.
Nazarov reminded that the Belarusian government together with its Russian partners is working on redirecting sanctioned Belarusian cargoes (oil products and potash fertilizers) from the Baltic States to the Russian direction. “This scheme is already working with the Russian side in terms of oil products, we have not lost anything in terms of logistics,” he said.
To counter and minimise the impact of sanctions measures, the government has set up an interagency working group of 17 ministries and agencies, including the Presidential Administration, the State Secretariat of the Security Council, the State Control Committee, the State Security Committee and the National Bank.
As previously reported, on 24 June 2021, the EU Council imposed sanctions against major sectors of the Belarusian economy. The sanctions came as the EU response to the escalation of human rights violations in Belarus, as well as the incident with the emergency landing of a Ryanair flight in Minsk. The sanctions also target exports of Belarusian petrochemical products to the EU.
There are two refineries currently operating in Belarus – Mozyr NPZ Refinery (Gomel Oblast) and Naftan (Novopolotsk, Vitebsk Oblast).
The Mozyr NPZ refinery was established in 1975 and transformed into a joint-stock company in 1994, with a 42.757% stake currently owned by the state.
Launched in 1963, Naftan is Belarus’ largest refinery and one of the largest in Europe. In 2008, Naftan incorporated another Belarusian refinery Polimir. 99.83% of the company belongs to the state. Naftan is capable of producing about 400,000 tonnes of diesel fuel per year. Naftan produces euro-4 and euro-5 diesel fuel, petrol and lubricants, which are exported to the EU, the Middle East and the United States. End