The Czech Republic had achieved full independence from Russian oil supplies for the first time in its history, government officials announced on Thursday.
This milestone was reached due to the completion of capacity upgrades on the TAL pipeline, which comes from the west, according to a Reuters report.
Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala announced in a televised news conference on Thursday that the first increased supplies of oil have been delivered via pipeline to the central oil depot in the Czech Republic.
Russian oil no longer needed
Fiala announced at the depot in Nelahozeves, 20 km north of Prague, “Our reliance on Russia for oil has come to an end after approximately 60 years.”
Fiala added:
For the first time in history, the Czech Republic is completely supplied by non-Russian oil, and fully supplied through western routes.
The Czech government has been trying to reduce its reliance on Russia for oil since the country invaded Ukraine. About half of the Czech Republic’s annual oil imports have come through the Druzhba pipeline from Russia for decades.
The Transalpine (TAL) pipeline, which transports oil from tankers in the Italian port of Trieste to Germany, was upgraded at the end of last year by Czech pipeline operator MERO.
The oil is then fed into the Ingolstadt–Kralupy–Litvinov (IKL) pipeline to the Czech Republic.
The Czech Republic’s annual needs can now be met due to the TAL upgrade, which has increased the capacity available to 8 million tonnes per year.
More tankers secured
Orlen Unipetrol, a Czech refiner, has been using oil from state reserves to maintain production since the Druzhba pipeline halted supplies in March.
The company is now preparing to switch to full supplies through the TAL pipeline, following a capacity increase.
The Litvinov refinery will begin processing Norwegian crude from the TAL pipeline upgrade next week, with the crude expected to arrive on Friday.
Last year, the Czech Republic imported 6.5 million tonnes of oil. Industry Ministry statistics show that 42% of the oil was imported via Druzhba.
This is a decrease from the previous two years when up to 58% of the oil supply was Russian.
In 2024, the country acquired oil from Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan, as well as Norway and Guyana, the latter two in smaller quantities.
Druzhba pipeline to remain
The MERO company has stated that it intended to maintain the Druzhba pipeline filled with crude oil.
This action is being taken to accommodate potential future flows of oil, which could come from various sources.
One such potential source is the Ukrainian port of Odesa, which could supply oil to the Druzhba pipeline.
Jaroslav Pantucek, the director of MERO, the Czech oil pipeline operator, reassured stakeholders on Thursday that the Druzhba pipeline remains operational and is prepared to resume oil transportation whenever necessary.
Despite current geopolitical uncertainties and discussions surrounding its future, the pipeline’s infrastructure is sound and ready for use.
Pantucek acknowledged that the future utilization of the Druzhba pipeline is currently under evaluation, with various factors and potential scenarios being considered.
This evaluation likely involves analysing geopolitical developments, energy market trends, and the potential impact on energy security for the countries involved.
Hungary and Slovakia, both of which maintain pro-Moscow stances, are eager to continue receiving Russian oil through the Druzhba pipeline.
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