Belarus oil import 20.8 percent down in 2016

Belarus imported 18.1 million tonnes of crude oil in 2016, 20.8 percent down from 2015, the National Statistics Committee of Belarus said on Monday.

In 2016 Belarus imported nearly 4 billion U.S. dollars worth of oil, down from 5.7 billion U.S. dollars in 2015. The price for one tonne of oil averaged 218.7 U.S. dollars in 2016 and 247.3 U.S. dollars in 2015, the Committee said.

In 2016 Belarus exported 13 million tonnes of oil products (12.7 percent down) to the tune of 4 billion U.S. dollars (down from 6.8 billion U.S. dollars in 2015).

In 2016 a conflict arose between Belarus and Russia because of differences in the approaches to the determination of gas prices. In response to it Russia reduced oil supplies to Belarus. As a result, the President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko instructed to find a replacement of Russian oil through the procurement of fuel from other countries.

Recently it became known that Iran will supply to Belarus 600 thousand barrels of oil. Belarus makes first purchase of Iranian oil after international sanctions against Tehran were lifted last year. Endit