The caretaker government of Serbia has authorised the Oil Industry of Serbia (NIS) to receive up to 66,000 tonnes of crude oil from the state reserves. The decision was taken after regular deliveries via the JANAF oil pipeline were interrupted and is intended to ensure the operation of the Pančevo refinery and market supplies.
NIS representatives notified the Ministry of Mining and Energy about the supply problems following damage to the oil pipeline in Croatia. Transport via JANAF was halted on 6 November after an accident on the section between Sisak and Slavonski Brod, from which around 500,000 litres of oil reportedly leaked.
A day earlier, NIS had asked the Serbian authorities for access both to crude oil from the state reserves and to diesel from the operational reserves. The company said that the Pančevo refinery was adapting its operations according to information from the pipeline operator, while its petrol stations were supplied with all types of fuel.
The reserves must support the refinery’s operation
In its decision, the government stated that using the reserves was necessary to protect the “most vital state interests” and to preserve uninterrupted production in Pančevo.
“Citizens have no reason to worry, nor is there any need to build up stocks of petroleum products,” the Serbian government said.NIS supplies around 70% of the fuel on the Serbian market. Around 80% of the crude oil processed in the country is imported, while the remaining approximately 20% comes from domestic production. JANAF is the main route for deliveries to the Pančevo refinery.
Repairing JANAF remains crucial for supplies
Energy expert Željko Marković told Serbian public television that the damage could be repaired within five to 10 days if no additional problems were found along the route. According to him, a shorter interruption should not threaten the refinery’s operation, as NIS has its own reserves.
Marković warned that difficulties could arise if the repair took around a month. According to data cited by Euronews Serbia, the accident was initially expected to be repaired more quickly, but the interruption to transport has lasted for more than a week.
The decision to use state-owned oil is a temporary measure. The resumption of normal deliveries depends on the restoration of the pipeline and the restart of transport to Pančevo.
Sources: euronews.rs