OREANDA-NEWS. June 08, 2008. The Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS Russia) analyzed the maintenance schedules for the aggregates at oil refineries, reported the press-centre of FAS Russia.

According to the Russian Ministry of Industry and Energy, that under the established procedures agreed upon the maintenance schedules of refinery capacities, in spring 2008 the maintenance works at some refineries were exercised at the same period. At the same time, the Ministry did not possess information regarding the scope of production and supplies to the domestic market of oil products.

In this context, the Antimonopoly Service sent enquiries to oil companies regarding the timing of maintenance work, production plans, creating inventory and selling oil products to the domestic market of the Russian Federation in 2008, as well as the actions of oil companies towards preventing decline of production of oil products when the output is reduced due to the repair and maintenance works.

According to the information presented to FAS Russia, scheduled maintenance work of oil refineries would not reduce supplies of oil products to the domestic market of the Russian Federation. The oil companies, which own refineries, assured FAS Russia that reduced production of oil products caused by the repair and maintenance on the aggregates would be compensated by decreasing export supplies, redistribution of output between the companies - members of a group of persons, as well as accumulating oil products for the period when refineries capacities are not fully used.

FAS Russia will check how the refineries observe the maintenance schedules in the first six months of 2008. Following the results of the inspection, the Antimonopoly Service intends to elaborate a joint position with the Ministry of Energy of the Russian Federation on developing efficient mechanism for agreeing the maintenance schedules of oil refineries to ensure sustainable supplies of oil products to the domestic market and prevent local deficits of oil products.