Crude oil has flowed through the Adriatic Oil Pipeline (Janaf) to the refinery in Pančevo, Radio Television of Serbia (RTS) reported today.
Janaf, as well as the Oil Industry of Serbia (NIS), which includes the Pančevo Refinery, have received a license to continue operating until January 23rd.
Janaf cut off the flow of oil to the Pancevo refinery on October 9th, when the full implementation of US sanctions began.
Serbian Minister of Mining and Energy Dubravka Đedović Handanović said yesterday that 85.000 tons will be delivered to Janaf this week.
"The refinery in Pančevo will start operating around January 16th, in any case before the end of the week. We expect the first diesel to be produced and on the market around January 26th to 27th," said Đedović Handanović.
She added that she expects that after these 85.000 tons, an additional 35.000 to 45.000 tons will arrive next week, and that, in addition to domestic crude oil, which currently has around 120.000 tons, will ensure that the refinery can continue to operate for a longer period of time after January 23.
"Our goal is for the operating license to be extended and in that sense, the US Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) had certain requests, which is to see the main bases of the contract and in that context we expect the negotiations to be completed, or at least the first ones between MOL and Gazpromneft, and then to apply for an extension of the license until the final negotiations are completed and the transaction is eventually signed," said Đedović Handanović.
NIS has a three-year contract with Croatia's Janaf for the transport of 10 million tons of crude oil, which expires in December 2026.
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