A ban on importing Russian oil through pipelines, mainly the Druzhba pipeline, came into force on Sunday in Germany after the European Union in October restricted Russian oil transported by sea and decided not to limit the transportation of crude oil by pipeline.
The EU decided in October to block maritime transport related to the shipment of crude oil to third countries from December. This measure will also affect oil products from February 2023.
However, the European club determined that the restrictions would not affect crude oil arriving via pipeline, something that countries such as Hungary and other landlocked European partners demanded due to their heavy dependence on Russian oil.
Both Germany and Poland pledged not to make use of these exemptions and to stop using oil from the Druzhba pipeline as of January 1. Now, with the entry into force of this measure, the German government has assured that the supply is secure after fears that this could lead to an energy deficit.
The German measure, which comes with the start of 2023, affects the large refineries located in Schwedt, in the state of Brandenburg, and Leuna, in the state of Saxony-Anhalt, which supply fuel to the east of the European country.
According to the PCK refinery in Schwedt, in the state of Brandenburg, more than one billion tons of crude oil came to Germany from Russia through the pipeline, which dates back to the early 1960s.
Substitute supplies will now enter partly via the port of Rostock and also via the Polish port of Gdansk, as well as from Kazakhstan. During this transition, the two refineries concerned expect a lower utilization rate.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
