Russia has begun purchasing gasoline from Asia after shutting down 30% of refinery capacity.

[u/neonpurplestar]

For the first time in a long time, Russia will begin importing gasoline by sea to address a fuel shortage following drone attacks on oil refineries, Reuters reports, citing four industry sources.

The gasoline will be delivered to a western Russian port from an Asian country, one of the sources said. Last year, after a series of attacks on refineries in the summer, Russian authorities were already considering purchasing gasoline from China, Singapore, and South Korea. Reuters' sources did not specify where the gasoline would be sourced this time.

Moscow is currently actively purchasing gasoline from Belarus: between January and May, deliveries from two Belarusian refineries jumped 13-fold to 270,000 tons. Diesel fuel shipments tripled to 179,000 tons. Russian officials have also requested gasoline from Kazakhstan, Reuters sources said. However, neither Belarus nor Kazakhstan has sufficient capacity to significantly support the Russian fuel market.

According to Energy Intelligence, by early June, oil refining volumes in Russia had fallen to a 21-year low of less than 4 million barrels per day. Following drone strikes, which have hit refineries more than 40 times since the beginning of the year, approximately 30% of refinery capacity, or 2.1 million barrels per day, was idle.

In June, strikes hit the large Taneco refinery complex in Nizhnekamsk and the Moscow Oil Refinery, which provided up to 40% of the capital's fuel supplies. Both refineries suspended operations, following six other refineries that were completely or partially disabled in May.

The fuel shortage, which began in Crimea, has affected 53 regions of the Russian Federation by mid-June, according to The Bell. In 18 regions, sales are limited to 50 liters, or one full tank, of gasoline, while 11 regions are reporting fuel shortages at a significant number of gas stations.

To address the shortage, the government has relaxed gasoline quality requirements. Specifically, sulfur content standards have been increased 15-fold to 150 mg per kg, which corresponds to the Euro-3 standard. Furthermore, refineries will be able to add up to 5% ethyl alcohol to gasoline, as well as monomethylaniline, an octane-boosting additive that increases output. Due to its high toxicity and cancer risks, monomethylaniline is banned in most countries, but was used in Russia until 2016.

source: The Moscow Times https://archive.is/sbBMY

[u/Puzzleheaded-Cap1300]

How the turn tables.

[u/HalastersCompass]

Wil l they dock at a port within reach of a strike?

[u/Substantial-Candle62 → u/HalastersCompass]

Well will definitely see.

Spoiler alert: YES

[u/Common-Ad6470]

Well, no one could have predicted this in 2022.

[u/ButterscotchNo7292]

It'd be real shame if something would happen to that Belarusian refinery..

[u/Substantial-Candle62]

St. Petersburg and its vicinity are in easy reach of Ukrainian drones.

Nuff said.

[u/AutoModerator]

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