Russia's gasoline production falls owing to accident at Lukoil's Nizhny Novgorod refinery; cutting exports, redirecting resources from other oil companies to offset drop

MOSCOW. Jan 15 (Interfax) - There has been a decline in the production of motor gasoline owing to unscheduled repairs on one of the catalytic cracking units at the Lukoil-Nizhegorodnefteorgsintez refinery in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia's Energy Ministry said in a statement.

The Energy Ministry and oil companies at the operational headquarters have developed measures to continue the uninterrupted supply of fuel to the domestic market while Lukoil-Nizhegorodnefteorgsintez undergoes repairs.

"The participants at the operational headquarters have emphasized that the needs of the domestic market would be met by reducing export supplies and redirecting the existing resources of other market participants," the Energy Ministry said.

"The production of motor gasoline at Russian enterprises fully meets all the needs of the domestic market. Inventories total nearly two million tonnes, which is more than enough to meet demand," the Energy Ministry said.

The company has already developed a plan to eliminate the problems as soon as possible.