Europe hardly able to quit Russian oil - expert

MOSCOW, May 14 (Itar-Tass) - Europe has little chance of abandoning Russian oil, Deputy Vice-President of Trasneft oil transportation company Igor Katsal told a Russian oil transportation magazine. Russian oil, in contrast to Brent, contained a large number of diesel fractions and the whole of Europe was oriented to transport on diesel engines, he is quoted as saying. Modern technologies allowed for oil refinement of sulphur so that the increase of its content was not as critical for European refineries as the absence of diesel fractions in light crudes, says his commentary in the article. It was now obvious that the decision to construct the Eastern Siberia-Pacific Ocean oil pipeline (ESPO) and the Baltic Pipeline System-2 (BPS-2) was a reasonable one, providing “a surplus of export facilities”. Strategic importance of the Eastern pipeline did not need comment. In the event of difficulties on the Ukrainian section of the Druzhba pipeline, Russia would easily redistribute these 17 million tonnes to the ports of Primorsk and Ust-Luga. Learn more on itar-tass.com