One of Russia’s largest oil refineries has been shut down following a drone attack
The NORSI oil refinery ceased operations on 5 April following an attack by Ukrainian drones. This was reported on 7 April by two sources in the energy sector, according to Reuters.
According to them, the temporary closure of the plant creates further uncertainty for Russia’s energy sector, which is under constant attack, particularly at oil export terminals in the Black and Baltic Seas.
On 6 April, the Russian authorities stated that a fire had broken out at the plant following a drone strike. The governor of the Nizhny Novgorod region reported that two facilities at the plant had been hit, and that a power station and several residential buildings had also been damaged.
According to the St Petersburg International Commodity and Raw Materials Exchange, Lukoil is not offering petrol, diesel fuel or fuel oil from this plant, which is located approximately 450 kilometres east of Moscow, for sale.
Sources noted that product supplies may be suspended until the end of the month. Lukoil did not respond to a request for comment.
NORSI is Russia’s second-largest petrol producer. The plant has a capacity of 16 million tonnes of crude oil per year, equivalent to approximately 320,000 barrels per day.
