Slovak Oil Refiner To Ramp Up Oil Imports To Avoid Diesel Crunch

Slovakia’s oil refiner is preparing to sharply ramp up international crude purchases as the country is planning to pivot away from Russian supplies.

• Mol’s Slovnaft refinery has an exemption to keep taking Russian crude through the Druzhba pipeline. But the crude cannot be turned into fuels for re-export.
• This may not be enough to prevent diesel shortages in the region, when the EU sanctions cut off Russian oil product deliveries from 5 Feb, Oszkar Vilagi, Chairman of Slovnaft, said.
• Buyers need to source alternative barrels, potentially from the Adriatic pipeline, but the capacity is short of Hungarian and Slovakian needs, he added.
• “In case of unexpected complications with pipeline oil supplies next year, Central European countries will face a shortage of diesel and other refinery products”, Vilagi said.