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Russia to supply 4.8 million tons of oil to Belarus in fourth quarter, Russian deputy energy minister says

Russian oil deliveries to Belarus in the fourth quarter of 2012 will total about 4.8 million tons, Russian Deputy Energy Minister Pavel Fedorov told reporters in Moscow on Monday, BelaPAN said.

“At present we are really completing talks with the Belarusian side on deliveries of crude oil and petroleum products in the fourth quarter of the year,” Mr. Fedorov said, according to RIA Novosti. “Agreements that have been reached at a high level allow us to say that about 4.8 million tons of oil will be supplied to Belarus in the quarter while Belarus is to supply 200,000 tons of gasoline in return.”

The Russian energy ministry directed in September that the amount of crude oil to be supplied to Belarus in the fourth quarter of the year should be reduced by 26 percent to four million tons in response to Belarus’ failure to fulfill its obligations regarding the supply of petroleum products to Russia.

Belarus and Russia agreed in late 2011 that a total of $21.5 million tons of Russian crude would be supplied by pipeline to Belarus in 2012 – 3.5 million tons more than in 2011 – with the possibility of supplying up to three million tons more by rail. Belarus made a commitment to supply Russia with 5.8 million tons of high-quality petroleum products in 2012, including 2.1 million tons of gasoline, 3.5 million tons of diesel fuel and 0.2 million tons of aviation kerosene, but it reportedly supplied only 144,300 tons of petroleum products in the first eight months of the year.

According to Russia’s Fuel and Energy Dispatch Center (TsDU TEK), Russian oil deliveries to Belarus in October totaled 1,347,000 tons, or 22 percent less than in September.

Following his Moscow talks with Russian Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich, First Deputy Prime Minister Uladzimir Syamashka told reporters in Minsk on Friday that Belarus was expected to import the entire amount of Russian crude oil that was initially agreed upon for 2012.

Mr. Syamashka expressed satisfaction with the talks. “We discussed all points at issue and agreed to restore the volume of oil [to be supplied to Belarus] in the fourth quarter in the amount of 5.3 million tons, as was stipulated by the agreement for the year,” Mr. Syamashka said.

Belarus expects to receive 21.5 million tons of Russian crude oil this year, that is, the amount provided for by the agreement, he noted, adding that the issue of deliveries in the fourth quarter would be settled before November 15 with a view to making up for the reduced supply in October.

As for the import of Russian oil in 2013, “we say that 23 million tons is an unalterable figure,” Mr. Syamashka said.