One of Russia’s largest oil refineries, “Kirishinefteorgsintez,” has halted operations of its most powerful oil distillation unit due to a strike by Ukrainian drones that occurred on October 4. The capacity of this unit is 8 million tons per year, or 160,000 barrels per day, which accounts for about 40% of the total production capacity of the facility.
This is reported by Finway
Consequences of the Attack and Impact on Production
As a result of the damage to key equipment, restoration work at the refinery may take approximately a month. In addition to the shutdown of the main unit, another technological line that was also affected by the drone attack is expected to return to operation soon.
“In 2024, the refinery processed 17.5 million tons of oil, which accounted for 6.6% of the total oil refining volume in Russia.”
According to industry sources, last year the facility produced 2 million tons of gasoline, 7.1 million tons of diesel fuel, 6.1 million tons of fuel oil, and 600,000 tons of bitumen.
Possible Impact on the Russian Oil Products Market
Experts predict that the forced suspension of the main unit’s operation amid the ongoing fuel crisis in Russia could lead to a certain decrease in oil product production volumes. This may negatively affect the domestic market of the country, especially considering the high load on the oil refining sector.