Russia steps up oil refinery security amid increased attacks, delays maintenance to boost fuel production

VLADIVOSTOK, September 2. /TASS/. Efforts to ensure the security of oil refineries in Russia have been stepped up in recent months, considering the increased frequency of attacks, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak told reporters on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF).

Authorities and oil companies are doing everything possible to complete refineries’ repairs earlier than scheduled.

TASS has collected Deputy Prime Minister’s key statements.

Protection of refineries

Efforts to ensure the security of oil refineries in Russia have been stepped up in recent months: "Such efforts have been stepped up here in the past few months, considering the increased frequency of attacks on oil refineries."

Businesses take a responsible approach to ensuring the security of energy facilities: "In accordance with the threat model, they ensure the protection of facilities from the viewpoint of passive protection, as well as coordinate with the Defense Ministry and Rosgvardiya to provide necessary resources for protecting oil refineries."

Russian oil companies are allocating funds to protect oil refineries and interacting with the Defense Ministry: "Our companies are allocating funds and interacting with the Defense Ministry, accordingly."

Oil refineries in Russia are better protected than those in the UAE now as the country’s authorities proceed from a more severe threat model: "Believe me, it’s just as good here, or perhaps even better, considering the experience gained over the past few months. Our design institutes are working very closely with oil refineries on the protection of facilities, and the level is, in my view, far better, as the calculations are based on a more severe threat model."

Protecting the refineries was quite costly for oil companies, but shutdowns of the plants would have resulted in even greater losses: "Those are significant expenses for oil refineries and energy facilities, but it is worth it because the plants’ downtime would have resulted in greater losses for the enterprises. And companies are indeed incurring additional costs today."

Refineries’ maintenance schedules

Authorities have postponed scheduled maintenance at oil refineries that were initially planned for the summer period to maximize fuel production: "Around 10% of our enterprises are undergoing repairs now. However, we have postponed scheduled maintenance that were planned for the summer, to a later date to maximize current production and ensure supplies to the domestic market."

Russian authorities and oil companies are doing everything possible to complete the refineries’ repairs earlier than scheduled: "I can confirm that our plants are handling each case on an expedited basis, enterprises are certainly keen to bring facilities into operation even sooner than the scheduled restoration timelines."

Oil production situation

Russian oil companies are taking all necessary measures to ensure maximum crude production under current conditions: "Based on current conditions, our companies are taking all necessary measures to maximize output."

Revised macroeconomic forecast

A revised forecast for Russia's socio-economic development may be presented in the coming weeks: "I think [the forecast] will be revised in the next few weeks, given the need to draft the budget for the coming year. Therefore, the estimates will certainly be adjusted."