Druzhba's lasting impact
Oil contamination on a key Russian export pipeline that shocked the markets may echo long after the fuel has been cleaned up
The pollution of the Druzhba pipeline with organic chloride may impact future consumer demand for Urals blend, while Russia's image damage and reputation risk could also be reflected in a price discount, according to industry analysts. The crisis began on 19 April, when oil contaminated with highly corrosive organic chloride reached Belarus through the Druzhba pipeline, causing an equipment failure at the Belarusian Mozyr refinery. Diluting the ‘dirty oil' with other grades supplied to the plant by rail was unsuccessful. Ukraine and Poland, the Druzhba system's other transit countries to Europe, stopped receiving oil on 24 and 25 April. Built in the 1960s, Druzhba (or Friendship) is one of t
Also in this section
15 May 2025
Financial problems, lack of exploration success and political dogma cause uncertainty across much of the region
14 May 2025
The invisible hand of the market has seen increasing transparency but much more needs to be done to build a better understanding
13 May 2025
A fall in Venezuelan output drives overall production lower, as Saudi Arabia starts to slowly bring more crude to the market
12 May 2025
With the gas industry’s staunchest advocates and opponents taking brutal blows, the sector looks like treading a path of insipid indifference
