Orlen ready for full cut-off from Russian oil, awaits Czech pipeline expansion

Orlen Group is prepared to become fully independent from oil supplies from Russia, this will happen after the expansion of the transmission infrastructure in the Czech Republic, Orlen’s CEO Ireneusz Fąfara told PAP Business. He assured that crude from the Russian direction is not used in Polish refineries.

‘In Polish refineries, crude from the east is not used. When diversifying supplies, we rely on raw material that is stable in terms of quality, but we also take into account its properties, which enable us to achieve good yields,’ said Ireneusz Fąfara, Orlen’s CEO. ‘The Orlen Group is well prepared to completely abandon Russian oil, which is currently processed only by the refinery in Litvinov in the Czech Republic. The key is the development of the transmission infrastructure in the Czech Republic, which is the main constraint for abandoning the import of Russian oil to this country,’ – he added.

He stressed that Orlen had already done everything it could to make the Czech refinery independent of raw materials from the east.

‘Tests are being conducted at the Litvinov plant, during which blends of non-Russian crude are being successfully processed. This confirms that the refinery is able to process only non-Russian crude. The other Czech plant owned by Orlen Group – located in Kralupy – does not use Russian crude at all,’ – Ireneusz Fąfara said.

Mero, the Czech pipeline operator, a 100 per cent subsidiary of the Czech government, is responsible for the expansion of the transmission infrastructure.

The expansion of the Transalpine Pipeline (TAL) will increase the capacity of this pipeline. This will enable greater oil imports from the southern direction and allow the Czech Republic to become less dependent on crude supplies from Russia. The project is expected to be finalised in 2025.

Source: PortalMorski.pl