Russia left with only two-thirds of petrol it needs after refinery strikes

Petrol production in Russia fell to around 80,000 tonnes per day – 70% of summer consumption levels – at the end of August, leaving the market 30% short.

Source: The Moscow Times, an independent Amsterdam-based news outlet

Details: Over the past week, major oil refineries in Perm, Kstovo (NORSI) and Yaroslavl, which produce significant volumes of motor petrol, have shut down due to drone attacks.

These shutdowns have widened the gap between production and market demand to around 35,000 tonnes per day. Russia consumes roughly 115,000 tonnes of petrol daily in summer.

In August, Russian refineries have been producing an average of around 90,000 tonnes of petrol per day, covering 80% of demand. By the end of the month, production was almost back at the level seen in early July, when the first wave of the fuel crisis peaked.

The shortage has forced Russia to buy more fuel from abroad. An estimated 270,000 tonnes of petroleum products from Asian countries arrived by sea in August, and an estimated 150,000 tonnes of petrol was imported from Belarus.

Overall, traders put August petrol imports at around 220,000 tonnes, or 7,000 tonnes per day. Even accounting for imports and the export ban until 31 January, around 97,000 tonnes of petrol is coming onto the Russian market per day – 85% of demand.

Background: Ukrainian forces have attacked Russian oil refineries at least 21 times since the beginning of August, and motorists have been hit by another petrol shortage – even in Moscow and Moscow Oblast.

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