Druzhba pipeline again operating at full capacity since July

Refinery-fouling oil was inadvertently mixed with other oil in the Druzhba pipeline in early April. The oil was contaminated with potassium chloride and other chemicals used in oil drilling (BOFIT Weekly 21/2019).

Pipeline operator Transneft estimates that oil exports transmitted by the Druzhba pipeline declined by 4.4 million metric tons in the first four months of this year compared to the same period last year. Nevertheless, Russia’s total oil exports in the period were up by 2.9 million tons, thanks to an increase in exports via oil harbours of 6.5 million tons from the same period last year. While Transneft has promised to compensate its customers for their losses, no details on the damage settlements have yet been released.