2012-01-24, 10:36
Muga was chose for the import of Venezuelan oil
© Polyar.no photo
Although the relationship between Russia and Belarus has improved in 2012, Belarus does not intend to refuse oil imports from Venezuela and Azerbaijan. There were plans to import Venezuelan oil through the port of Klaipeda.
Negotiations were stuck because of pricing. Belarusians offered a rate which was too low for Klaipeda Oil Company, thus, the negotiations were postponed indefinitely. Instead, Estonian Muga port was chosen to transport Venezuelan oil. This port has already managed to transport 900 thousand tons of Venezuelan oil, making up 11 tankers, each carrying 80 thousand tons. Also, the same oil is transported through Odessa port. There is no information about how much oil will be transported in 2012. It may be that the quantities of oil transported from Venezuela are going to be high. Belarus has managed to reach an agreement with Russia on oil imports for 2012-2015. Belarusian oil-processing plants can manage 30 million tons of oil per year. Belarus has asked Russia for 23 million tons of oil for 2012. However, it was agreed on only 21.5 million tons. The main oil refiners of Belarus are Naftan (Novoplock factory), Mozirskij NPZ (Mozirskij plant) and Belneftexim. This means that oil-processing production in Belarus will remain stable in 2012. For this reason, it is possible to expect biggest flow of petroleum products from Belarus to the port of Klaipeda. In 2011, this flow has been somewhat lower.
Belarus will pay for Russian oil in standard rates agreed in Rotterdam’s port market. Belarus has asked to make rates existing in the port of Primorsk, which are 15 U.S. dollars lower than in Rotterdam. Russia did not agree on this. However, it has cancelled the so-called premium of 30 U.S. dollars for Russian companies. Belarus sees this as a huge benefit. It is estimated that Belarus will feel 1.5 billion U.S. dollar benefit from this in the period of four years. Belarus did not succeed in increasing tariffs for transportation. The country wanted to increase tariffs by 20 per cent, but Russia agreed to increase them only by 8.3 per cent.
