Russian refinery runs hit post-Soviet high in June

Russian refiners processed more crude in June than any month since the fall of the Soviet Union, Energy Ministry data showed, in order to maximise gasoline output and close a supply gap that has led to shortages.

Friday's data on June refinery runs also showed some plants had boosted throughput after completion of upgrades during the month.
Russian refineries processed 5.41 million barrels of crude per day (bpd) in June, up by 5.9 percent from 5.11 million bpd in May.
In year-on-year terms, oil runs were up 9.5 percent. In June 2010, Russian oil plants processed an average of 4.94 million bpd of crude.
A deficit of low-sulphur gasoline during the summer driving season and its lucrative price on local wholesale markets after the tightening of emission standards this year resulted in higher utilisation rates at almost all Russian plants.
Gasoline production in June rose by 10.0 percent month-on-month and by 11.8 percent year-on-year. Russian oil plants produced 106,307 tonnes of gasoline per day, or some 9,700 tonnes per day more than in May.
Gasoil output rose 8.6 percent compared with May and was up by 8.6 percent versus June 2010, the data showed. Refineries produced 204,660 tonnes of gasoil per day.
Fuel oil production rose by 5.0 percent from the previous month and was up by 11.8 percent versus June 2010. It totalled 5.066 million tonnes, or 202,200 tonnes per day.
Jet kerosene production reached 899,300 tonnes in June, up 8 percent on a daily basis from May. It rose by 6.6 percent from June 2010.
Rosneft , Russia's largest crude producer, boosted refining in June by 19.6 percent to 1.1 million barrels per day after a 1.2 percent fall in May versus April.
Crude runs at the Achinsk plant rose by 119,310 bpd versus may April to 159,010 bpd, while Kuibyshev plant runs rose by 56,950 bpd to 149,170 bpd.
The Yaroslavl refinery, which TNK-BP owns together with Gazpromneft , increased runs by 11.2 percent or 32,020 bpd in June to 318,120 bpd.
Gazprom oil runs in June showed a 28,060 bpd growth and reached 111,200 bpd, the data showed.
Oil processing at TNK-BP, half-owned by BP , rose to 496,290 bpd in June from 487,300 bpd in May as its Ryazan plant runs rose by 10,020 bpd versus the previous month.
Crude runs at Russia's biggest export refinery, Kirishi, operated by Surgutneftegaz , rose by 4.6 percent on the month. Its oil processing averaged 443,250 bpd, compared to 423,930 bpd in May.
Lukoil oil processing rose by 1.8 percent in June versus May amid higher runs across its four oil plants. Oil runs reached 946,860 bpd compared to 930,180 bpd in May.
Source: Reuters