The Syzran and Saratov oil refineries in Russia have halted crude processing following attacks by Ukrainian drones. This was reported by Reuters, citing three industry sources.
The Syzran refinery stopped operating on Tuesday, 15 September, while the Saratov plant halted processing as early as 11 September.
According to the sources, the attack on the Syzran plant damaged several facilities, including the main crude distillation unit, CDU-6, with a capacity of 17.1 thousand tonnes per day. It accounts for around 71% of the site’s processing capacity.
Repairs to the damaged unit could take at least a month. Another unit at the Syzran refinery – CDU-5, with a capacity of 7.1 thousand tonnes per day – has been under repair since a drone attack in July.
The Saratov refinery suspended crude processing on 11 September after another drone attack. The sources said the plant also halted operations on 8 September due to equipment damage and fires, but was preparing to resume processing on 10–11 September.
The plant was also forced to shut down for several weeks after a drone attack on 2 August.
The shutdown of the two facilities could worsen fuel shortages on Russia’s domestic market. Against the backdrop of supply disruptions, Russia has already restricted exports of petrol, diesel and aviation fuel.