Saboteurs in the pipe

The security forces find out who ruined Russian oil in the Druzhba pipeline

In the scandal with pollution of Russian oil supplied through Belarus to Europe, an unexpected turn was outlined. On Friday evening, Representatives of Transneft reported the initiation of a criminal case on the fact of intentional throwing of harmful impurities into the Druzhba oil pipeline. This contradicts the version of the technical failure in the oil quality control system, which was previously considered as the main one.

Recall, on April 19, Belneftekhim announced an increased content of chlorological compounds in a mixture of Urals, after which Belarus limited the transit of Russian oil in a western direction.

According to Transneft, the stuffing of contaminated oil occurred through a private Samaratransneft-Terminal (STT), which serves several small manufacturers, and since December last year passes through the bankruptcy procedure.

However, many dark places remain in this story.

Firstly, the owner of a spoiled batch of hydrocarbons is unknown. First Deputy General Director of Samaratransneft-Terminal Anton Tomilov told RBC that information about the company's involvement in the incrimination is incorrect: the plum of Samara-Uncha drain, through which polluted oil got into the pipeline, was sold in December 2017 by the city innovative-leasing company, which transferred it to leasing, and then recalled in favor of the LLC "Oil refineries" - companies with authorized capital of 10 thousand rubles and several full -time employees.

The next question is the motivation of the alleged "saboteurs." “Take and spoil oil, which is exported to six countries and another Russian terminal ... I can’t imagine who could need this. It is probably not a court to establish the culprit of the stuffing, but the investigation with the participation of Transneft, ”says Mikhail Krutikhin, partner of Rusenergy.

Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev instructed the Ministry of Energy, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, FAS and Rostekhnadzor within a week to find the perpetrators in the supply of low -quality oil on the Druzhba pipeline and send the results of the audit to the Prosecutor General. So far, the majority of versions remain frankly conspiracy: from the conspiracy of American shale oil producers to the showdown of local criminal structures with illegal “inserts” into the transneft oil pipelines.

The Belarusian side will have to figure out how to dispose of the volume of spoiled Russian oil, which can reach 1 million tons.

The mixture with a high content of chlorological compounds causes corrosion of equipment at oil refineries and can harm the pipeline system. Most likely, contaminated oil will have to be drained and defended in individual tanks, the whole procedure can take several months.

“Transneft” recognized the fact of non -lawsuit, which means that it will pay compensation to the injured party, primarily Belarus. Transneft in this situation is profitable to admit guilt in order to avoid long -term trials and resume supplies in a western direction as soon as possible.

Minsk previously estimated its loss at about $ 100 million in the form of undisguised revenue from the sale of oil products. The amount can grow when the damage to the equipment of the Belarusian refineries will be understood. The total volume of payments seems to become the subject of political bargaining between the leadership of the two countries.

However, the claims may be made not only by Belarus, but also by other buyers of Russian oil, faced with a delay in deliveries. In this case, the main contender for the payment of compensation will also be transneft.

“Chlorological compounds are sometimes added to the layer to increase oil transformations of deposits with a high degree of watering. For a long time, this practice was banned in Russia, but in 2012, Minister of Energy Sergey Shmatko lifted the ban, and many oil workers began to pump these reagents in old wells, ”says Krutikhin.

“After the oil is extracted from the well, it passes through a colossal number of stages of preparation for transport - the state of expensive equipment depends on it,” says professor at the RSU oil and gas to them. THEM. Gubkina Valery Bessel. - Transneft sells compounded oil, that is, a mixture. If a part of oil, contaminated with chlorological compounds, has hit this mixture, this means that for some reason it could not be cleaned. ”

“But it is very difficult to believe in this because of the most severe output control. For 40 years of work in the industry, I have come across this for the first time. ”

Following Belarus, the purchases of Russian oil on Friendship were suspended by several European countries, including Germany, Slovakia and Poland. Transneft, in addition to penalties, carries serious reputation losses. “Of course, this incident will affect the position of Russia as an oil exporter, but at the same time, Russian oil is needed, they are used to it. Many oil refineries in Europe are sharpened for it. So export will continue there when all consequences are eliminated, ”Krutikhin believes.

On Friday, April 26, in negotiations with the participation of representatives of Russia, Belarus, Poland and Ukraine, the parties agreed on joint technological measures to eliminate the consequences of pollution. “This will allow <...> until April 29 to submit oil appropriate to the border with Belarus, and completely restore the stable operation of the oil pipeline within two weeks,” said Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak.

At the diplomatic and technological levels, the situation seems to have been resolved. Now the word goes to law enforcement agencies. Earlier, the possibility of participating in the investigation of the incident with the "friendship" of the Russian special services was confirmed by President Vladimir Putin.