Mero said there is no threat to the Czech Republic’s crude oil supply as the country is prepared for such situations. Strategic stocks of crude oil and crude oil products are available to cover the functioning of the state for 90 days in the event of a short-term supply disruption. Supply via the western route, that is, from the TAL and IKL pipelines from Italy and Germany, is running smoothly, Mero said.

The state pipeline operator said last month that the Czech Republic would phase out Russian oil imports by July 2025. Currently, Trans Alpine (TAL) pipeline is undergoing an upgrade, which is expected to be completed next year. The upgrade will boost oil supply to the Czech Republic from Italy.

The Druzhba pipeline carries Russian crude to Central Europe. The pipeline is a key artery of oil supply from Russia to Europe, with two branches – a northern one via Belarus that supplies Belarus, Poland, Germany, Latvia, and Lithuania, and a southern one passing through Ukraine and sending oil to the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, and Croatia.

Flows through the Druzhba pipeline were exempted from the EU embargo on imports of Russian crude oil by sea that came into effect on December 5, 2022. The EU has exempted pipeline oil flows to landlocked EU member states from the ban.

By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com

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