Rosneft: Open to processing non-Russian oil

Created: 05/12/2022, 12:16 p.m

The logo of the Russian oil company Rosneft.

© Patrick Pleul/dpa-Zentralbild/ZB/Archive image

The mineral oil company Rosneft Germany, a subsidiary of the Russian state-owned company Rosneft, has shown itself open to processing non-Russian oil in the refinery in Schwedt.

"If there were a law banning Russian oil, Rosneft Germany will of course comply with the requirements," company spokesman Burkhard Woelki told the German Press Agency.

Berlin/Schwedt/Oder - "Yes, we also process other oils.

We have already processed other comparable crude oils at PCK in the past.”

Talks are underway in the EU about a ban on imports of Russian oil in six months.

The PCK refinery in Schwedt/Oder, Brandenburg, has so far primarily processed Russian oil from the “Druschba” (Friendship) pipeline from Russia, which ends there.

It is majority owned by Rosneft Germany, a subsidiary of the Russian state-owned company Rosneft, whose supervisory board is former Chancellor Gerhard Schröder (SPD).

Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck (Greens) is looking for alternative oil sources for Schwedt via Rostock, possibly also via Gdansk, because of the embargo.

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However, Rosneft Germany also sees technical hurdles for the processing of other oils in the refinery in Schwedt.

"Leuna (Saxony-Anhalt) and PCK are designed from GDR times in such a way that they basically process Russian oils," said Woelki.

Referring to Schwedt, he said: "We needed 60 percent of the comparable quality in order not to endanger the continued operation of the refinery from a technical point of view.

Otherwise, the refinery would have to be technically rebuilt.

We could supply 50 to 60 percent of PCK's previous capacity via Rostock.” Rostock is not yet an oil port, no large tankers can dock there.

"That's why the capacity of the port would have to be expanded."

The company spokesman was rather skeptical about a delivery of oil via Gdansk.

“In theory anything is possible.

But it will be very difficult," he said.

On Thursday, the Bundestag wanted to discuss a draft law by the factions of the traffic light coalition, with which trusteeship over companies such as PCK and, as a last resort, expropriation should also be possible.

The spokesman for Rosneft Germany said: "We do not want to comment on that.

That is a matter for the German Parliament.” dpa