Belarusian oil imports up 44% in Jan-Sept
MINSK. Nov 18 (Interfax) - Belarus imported 14.976 million tonnes of oil in January-September, 44% more than in the same nine months last year, the country's national statistics committee Belstat told Interfax.
Oil imports from Russia amounted to 13.930 million tonnes (up 48.2%) and from non-Commonwealth of Independent States countries to 1.045 million tonnes (up 4.5%).
Belstat figures indicate that Jan-Sept oil contract prices averaged $469 per tonne, which was 10.2% more than in the same period of 2010. Average contract prices for oil originating in Russia were at $441/tonne (up 9.6%) and from non-CIS countries - $843/tonne (up 30.6%)
Oil-product imports increased 230% to 3.517 million tonnes in Jan-Sept - 3.501 million tonnes from Russia (up 230%) and 15,800 tonnes from non-CIS countries (down 3.5%).
Natural gas imports amounted to 14.8 billion cubic meters (bcm) during the period, a 1.9% drop from Jan-Sept 2010. Contract prices averaged $259 per thousand cubic meters, up 36.5%.
Belarus exported 11.3 million tonnes of oil products over the nine months, a 58.4% increase. The average contract price was $805 per tonne (up 38.3%). Deliveries to CIS countries weighed in at 2.3 million tonnes (up 35.4%) at an average price of $932 per tonne (up 36.3%). Exports to non-CIS countries came to 9 million tonnes (up 65.6%) at an average price of $773 per tonne (up 40.4%).
Belstat noted that the energy product imports cost $13.220 billion overall, 70% more year-on-year. Energy resource exports were up 140% at $10.234 billion. This means an energy trade deficit of $2.977 billion ($3.697 billion in Jan-Sept 2010).