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Poland interrupted the flow of Russian crude oil via the Druzhba pipeline following the discovery of traces of contamination, Reuters reported. A previous report according to which Germany had also stopped taking Russian crude because of contamination had been refuted by the German Association of the Petroleum Industry, which had declared that it had not yet met any oil quality problems.
The oil was contaminated with organic chlorine and apparently would come from a Russian oil producer who had still not been appointed at the time of writing. Chemical quantities have been found to be much higher than the maximum allowed, with refiners risking damage to their equipment.
According to the Reuters quote, European traders said that the oil contained up to 150-330 parts per million of chemical improving production, while the maximum safe quantity was 10 ppm. The usual level of organic chloride in the crude is between 1 and 3 parts per million.
Russia said that Transneft, the monopoly of the pipeline in Russia, was working to solve the problem. Meanwhile, Russian government officials are meeting urgently to discuss the problem, anonymous sources told Reuters.
The Droujba gas pipeline, which connects Russia to Germany and travels to countries along the road, can carry up to a million barrels of oil a day. However, the contamination was also found in cargo tankers loaded in the port of Ust Luga.
According to Reuters commercial sources, at least five vessels belonging to companies Rosneft, Surgutneftegaz and Kazakh left the terminal with contaminated cargo. Cargo buyers are Total, Trafigura, Vitol and Equinor.
"Nobody wants to stop refineries in Germany. They will operate at a lower capacity now and could import oil from the sea, "said one of the sources.
This is the first time in a decade that Russian crude is contaminated with organic chloride.
By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com
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