Oil from state reserves now flowing into Litvínov refinery

The Unipetrol oil refinery in the North Bohemian city of Litvínov has been receiving oil from the country‘s reserves since Wednesday, the head of the Administration of State Material Reserves Pavel Švagr told journalists on Thursday. The Czech News Agency reports that more than 100,000 tons of oil are set to be released from the reserves for this purpose.

The activation of the national oil reserves came after the crude oil delivered via the Druzhba pipeline was contaminated with high levels of organic chloride and supplies via this route were halted last Thursday.

Shortly after the news was released, Radio Free Europe reported that "clean" Russian oil shipments have begun to arrive in Belarus via the Druzhba pipeline and that deliveries via the pipeline could reach 60 to 70 percent of capacity by May 10.