Experts register lack of high-octane petrol on market

Stocks of high-octane petrol at warehouses of Ukrainian oil refineries are very small due to exports of Ukrainian fuel to Russia, according to experts of the Kyiv-based A-95 consulting group.

According to the group's press service, the experts carried out calculations based on data from the Ukrainian Energy and Coal Industry Ministry, saying that petrol stocks at warehouses of Ukrainian oil refineries by June 20, 2011 came to 34,500 tonnes, which is the minimum figure over the past two years. The A-95 group said that this is three times less than the average petrol stocks since early 2011. The group said that stocks of A-76/80 petrol stood at 4,700 tonnes, that for A-92 petrol – at 21,300 tonnes and A-95 petrol – at 8,600 tonnes.

"So small stocks at refineries explain the reason of a lack of high-octane petrol on the market in some regions registered since the start of the month," the press service said, citing A-95 consulting group director, Serhiy Kuyun.

According to the group, the reason of the petrol stocks reduction at oil refineries is the mass exports of A-92 and A-95 petrol to Russia.

"In particular, according to the State Customs Service, private joint-stock company LINIK [Lysychansk oil refinery, belongs to TNK-BP] exported 89,600 tonnes of A-92 petrol and 10,900 tonnes of A-95 petrol. This is 75% of the May petrol production by the refinery, which share of total fuel output in Ukraine in May came to over 50%," reads the report.

Kuyun said that in the present situation only the diversified fuel supply system – developed fuel production and fuel imports – allowed avoiding a Russian scenario of the fuel crisis with disappearance of petrol at filling stations.