Schedule of planned refinery maintenance changed to increase gasoline supplies to domestic market - Russian Energy Ministry

VLADIVOSTOK. Sept 4 (Interfax) - The Russian Energy Ministry together with oil companies has changed the schedule of planned maintenance at oil refineries in order to increase gasoline supplies to the domestic market, Russian Energy Minister Sergei Tsivilev told reporters.

"Oil companies have reserves [of processing capacities]. We have launched these reserves. Together with them, we have adjusted the program of planned refinery maintenance so that planned maintenance does not coincide with the period of peak demand for gasoline. We are also working manually with Russian Railways to ensure that tank cars with gasoline from production regions are quickly moved to regions of maximum demand for gasoline," he said.

As a measure to help stabilize the situation on the fuel market, gasoline exports have been halted for both non-producers and producers, he said.

Answering a question as to whether the noted measures are sufficient to stop the rise in gasoline prices in wholesale and retail in September, Tsivilev said: "Given the listed measures that we have applied, I think it will be enough."

It is important that excesses do not arise in the market, he said. "When people start to get nervous, a lot of speculators appear who want to make money from this. This has nothing to do with the real current situation regarding the supply of gasoline to the constituent entities of the Russian Federation. We understand these risks," he said.

The actions being taken by the Energy Ministry together with oil companies will satisfy all gasoline demand in Russia, he said.