Druzhba oil pipeline is the main transit route for Russian oil exports to Europe. Belarus has started planned maintenance on the pipeline, resulting in reduced oil supplies to Poland.
The maintenance was planned in advance, said Both Belarus and Russia, which are locked in a dispute over a new oil contract.
Russia suspended oil supplies to Belarus from January 1 but partially restored them on January 4. Belarus is supplied by two oil firms based in Russia with oil essential at its two refineries. Mikhail Gutseriyev controls the two firms.
Started on January 14, the maintenance will last until January 17 at the Mozyr-Gomel 3 part of the Druzhba pipeline. The maintenance will cause oil shipments to Poland to be reduced 50 percent of the usual volumes for that period or 70,000 tonnes per day.
