Russia Eyes Boosting Primorsk Diesel Exports

Reuters- Russia's oil pipeline monopoly Transneft said on Thursday it plans to nearly triple exports of ultra low sulphur diesel (ULSD) from the Baltic Sea port of Primorsk after 2016 when domestic companies are expected to boost production.

As there will be not enough pipeline capacity to export the production then, Transneft said it will adjust one of the crude oil links leading to Primorsk to a pipeline able to ship ULSD.

Transneft would start works to ship ULSD from the Kirishi refinery, owned by Surgutneftegas, to Primorsk later this spring and the pipeline would be ready to ship the fuel next autumn or winter, the company said in emailed remarks.

It said that pipeline capacity for ULSD diesel destined to Primorsk would total 23 million tonnes a year (470,000 barrel per day) after 2016, up from over 8 million tonnes currently.

(Reporting by Vladimir Soldatkin; additional reporting by Ron Busso in London, editing by Gabriela Baczynska)