Reuters: Russian refineries increase oil processing by 25% after being shut down by Ukrainian drone attacks

In the second half of October, Russian refineries increased their oil processing volumes by 25% compared to the beginning of the month. This was recorded after the cessation of drone attacks on refineries.

This was reported to Reuters by three interlocutors from the industry.

According to the journalistsʼ interlocutors, in the second half of October, oil refineries increased oil processing volumes to approximately 5 million barrels per day.

Russian refineries have also ramped up diesel production. Sources believe that in October, Russian refineries increased daily diesel production by at least 50 000 tons, to 225 000 tons per day, or about 1.7 million barrels. Of this volume, almost 80 000 tons per day could potentially be available for export, the journalists added.

What preceded

On October 11, the US President Donald Trump reported an energy ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia. On October 12, Axios reported that Trump meant a halt to mutual strikes on refineries. On the same day, FT reported that the US was threatening to block arms sales to Ukraine and intelligence sharing over its strikes on Russian refineries.

Ukrainian attacks on Russian refineries ceased on October 16. That day, Ukrainian drones last attacked the Ryazan refinery, after which the plant stopped processing oil. At the same time, Russia continued to strike at Ukrainian energy infrastructure.

According to President Volodymyr Zelensky, during the week after the announcement of the energy truce, Russian forces attacked Ukrainian energy and oil and gas sectors 76 times.

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