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Czech Repulic's need for Russian oil ended by pipeline upgrade

Upgrades to increase the capacity for oil deliveries to the Czech Republic by means of the TAL pipeline are total, ending the country's requirement to import Russian crude, Prime Minister Petr Fiala said on Tuesday.

The Czech Republic has actually worked to wean itself off Russian oil and gas considering that Russia's intrusion of Ukraine in 2022.

Currently the country had no direct contracts with Russian gas suppliers. Now the TAL pipeline has the capability to fulfill all of its oil demand, it need no longer depend on the Druzhba pipeline from the east, which previously delivered half of its materials.

This is a turning point for the Czech Republic because Russia can no longer blackmail us with (energy products), Fiala stated.

The upgrades to the Trans Alpine (TAL) pipeline, running from Italy to Germany before feeding into an adapter, double the capacity readily available for the Czech Republic to 8 million metric lots a year, enough for its yearly needs.

Testing and accreditation should be finished, however Fiala stated the country might already count on TAL should there be any disturbance of Russian flows through the Druzhba pipeline that has provided the Czech Republic for 6 years.

State pipeline business MERO has stated it expects to start increasing oil shipments in the 2nd quarter.

The Czech Republic started diversifying products in 1995 by building the IKL pipeline linking to TAL in southern Germany. But one of the 2 Czech refineries, both owned by Poland's. Orlen, continued to process Russian oil.

Financing Minister Zbynek Stanjura stated Orlen's Czech system. Unipetrol had actually shown absolutely no oil buy from Russia in the. 2nd half of the year.

Unipetrol said in a different statement it would shift to brand-new. crude blends once the TAL upgrades had actually been tested and were. completely operational, which is anticipated by the end of the first. half.

The Czech Republic's dependence on Russian fuel meant it was. exempt from European Union sanctions on Russian pipeline oil.

Even after a complete switch from Russian supplies, MERO. operations director Zdenek Dundr informed Reuters in November that. the Druzhba pipeline would remain as a back-up.

(source: Reuters)