The Serbian government has authorized Naftna Industrija Srbije (NIS) to use up to 66,000 tonnes of crude oil from the state reserves. The measure was taken to keep the Pančevo refinery operating and ensure uninterrupted fuel supplies for the domestic market.
“The Government of Serbia has decided to authorize the release of up to 66,000 tonnes of crude oil from the state reserves for NIS,” the Serbian government press service said in a statement. It added that the aim was to ensure that citizens would not feel the consequences of the damage to the oil pipeline, as the refinery has no alternative route for crude oil deliveries.
“Without this route, the refinery would not be able to operate,” the Serbian government said.Crude oil deliveries to Pančevo were interrupted on November 6 after a section of the Adriatic oil pipeline JANAF between Sisak and Slavonski Brod in Croatia was damaged. According to published data, around 500,000 liters of oil spilled in the incident. Transport has been suspended while the operator JANAF carries out technical work to repair the damage.
Before the government’s decision, NIS formally requested access to crude oil from the state reserves, as well as diesel from the operational reserves. The company said that the Pančevo refinery was adjusting its operating volume based on information from JANAF, while its filling stations remained supplied with all types of fuel.
No deadline announced for the resumption of transport
At present, JANAF has not announced an official date for the resumption of deliveries. Serbian media have published various estimates for the duration of the repairs, ranging from several days to the beginning of December. These timelines have not been confirmed by the pipeline operator.
The Pančevo refinery is the main source of fuel for the Serbian market, making the interruption of the only route for delivering imported crude oil significant for supplies. Releasing the reserves allows NIS to temporarily maintain production until the damage is repaired and transport via JANAF is restored.
Sources: n1info.rs, tanjug.rs, balkans.aljazeera.net