Russia's largest private oil company, "Lukoil", has increased oil exports through the country's seaports as its supplies via the "Druzhba" pipeline to Europe are currently suspended, Reuters reported, citing three sources familiar with the market, BTA reports.
Slovakia and Hungary said last week they had stopped receiving oil from "Lukoil", a key supplier, after Ukraine imposed a ban on the Russian energy company's transit through its territory.
"Lukoil" will add another 0.34 million metric tons of Russian Urals crude exports by sea to its July loading plan - one cargo of 140,000 tons from Novorossiysk on July 28-29 and two cargoes of 100,000 tons each from Primorsk on July 27-28 and 28-29, the sources added.
The oil company has already added 0.34 million tons to its seaport exports in addition to the original July plan.
"Rosneft" and "Gazpromneft" also added 200,000 tonnes and 100,000 tonnes of oil respectively to their July loading plans for Russia's Baltic ports, the sources said.
As a result, July oil loadings from Russia's western ports were revised up by about 0.23 million barrels per day from the original schedule, to about 1.79 million barrels per day, Reuters calculations based on the data showed.
"Lukoil" did not respond to a request for comment.
Earlier today, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's adviser, Gergely Guias, accused Ukraine of blackmailing his country and Slovakia by halting oil supplies from &39;Lukoil".