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Russian oil deliveries to Belarus said to have increased by 20 percent in November

Russian oil deliveries to Belarus in November totaled 1,619,000 tons, or 20 percent more than in October, reported Russia’s Fuel and Energy Dispatch Center (TsDU TEK).

According to TsDU TEK data, Russian oil exports to Belarus increased by 16.2 percent year-on-year in the first 11 months of 2012 to total 19,165,000 tons, compared with a 26.3-percent year-on-year rise in the first eight months.

Earlier this week, Russia reportedly agreed to supply 1,950,000 tons of crude oil to Belarus in December.

Belarus’ two refineries are able to refine up to 1.9 million tons a month.

Belarus is expected to receive some 20.14 million tons of Russian oil in 2012, 2,139,000 tons more than the previous year.

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 TsDU TEK, Russian oil deliveries to Belarus in October totaled 1,347,000 tons, or 22 percent less than in September.

Following his talks with Russian Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich, First Deputy Prime Minister Uladzimir Syamashka told reporters in early November that Belarus was expected to import the entire amount of Russian crude oil that was initially agreed upon for 2012, that is, 21.5 million tons.

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. //BelaPAN