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Belarusian part of Druzhba pipeline cleared of contaminated oil — Polotsktransneft Druzhba

The clean-up operation was completed ahead of schedule

© Viktor Drachev/TASS

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MINSK, August 8. /TASS/. The Belarusian part of the Druzhba oil pipeline has been fully cleared of contaminated oil, Chief Executive of Polotsktransneft Druzhba, Vasiliy Drobotov told reporters on Thursday.

"The system of Polotsktransneft Druzhba has been fully cleared of oil containing organic chlorides," he said. "In fact, the roadmap has been fulfilled regarding the clearing of the Belarusian part of the main oil pipelines from Russia’s oil contaminated with chlorides throughout its [Belarusian] territory," Drobotov added.

The chief executive noted that oil has been cleared earlier than planned. "The roadmap suggests that the clearing should be completed by August 15," he said, adding that it "has already been completed."

In mid-April, the Belarusian concern Belneftekhim reported a sharp deterioration in the quality of the Russian oil running through the Druzhba pipeline, which delivers oil to Belarusian refineries and provides its transit to Europe via Belarus, Poland and Ukraine. Transit and refining were suspended. Minsk and Moscow started intergovernmental talks on compensation issues in May. Belarus claims compensation for direct and indirect losses. On May 23, the two sides finalized the approval of the roadmap on replacing off-spec oil with clean oil on the Belarusian territory.

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