Gazprom Neft’s Moscow Oil Refinery development not affected by Lukoil and Rosneft’s projects
Gazprom Neft’s General Director Arkady Yegizaryan told journalists that Rosneft’s and Lukoil’s refining and sales initiatives in the Moscow area will not affect Gazprom Neft’s plans to develop the Moscow Oil Refinery. “We are always glad for our colleagues’ plans. I am not willing to comment on this Rosneft initiative in particular, but we don’t intend to adjust our plans in connection with that. We probably have an advantageous position in the Moscow area and are prepared to defend it,” Yegizaryan said.
Lukoil President Vagit Alekperov announced that Lukoil plans to build a petroleum products pipeline that will stretch from the Lukoil-Nizhegorodnefteorgsintez refinery to Moscow, with a capacity of 2 million tons; while Rosneft plans to build the New Moscow Oil Refinery, with a capacity of 12 million tons.
Commenting on the fact that the Moscow market for petroleum products is already saturated, Yegizaryan said, “I don’t think there will be an oversaturation with fuel; this market is already sufficiently saturated. The Moscow Oil Refinery covers less than half of this market, but the road to it is open for everyone.”
Yegizaryan said that the Moscow Oil Refinery will also increase its effective refining capacity by as much as 20% to 12.5 million tons in the second half of 2017. He disclosed that Gazprom Neft from 2010 until 2013 is investing RUB14 billion (US$445.5 million) in environmental measures at the Moscow Oil Refinery. (September 13, 2012)