BAKU, Azerbaijan, Nov.10
By Leman Zeynalova – Trend:
LUKOIL Group of Russia has decreased gas production in Q3 and the first nine months of 2020, as demand of Uzbek gas in China fell, Trend reports citing the company.
For the nine months of 2020, LUKOIL Group's gas production was 20.8 billion cubic meters, which is 18.9 percent lower year-on-year. In the third quarter of 2020 gas production decreased by 6.7 percent quarter-on-quarter, to 6.0 billion cubic meters. Production decline was due to lower demand from China for gas produced in Uzbekistan amid the COVID-19 pandemic. At the same time gas production in Russia for the nine months of 2020 increased by 0.6 percent year-on-year driven by the launch of the second stage of the booster compressor station at the Nakhodkinskoye field in December 2019.
For the nine months of 2020 refinery throughput at LUKOIL Group's refineries was 45.5 million tonnes, which is 12.1 percent lower year-on-year. The decline was due to throughput optimization at some of the Company's refineries in the second and third quarters of 2020 on the back of lower demand for petroleum products and decline in refining margins due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as due to scheduled maintenance works. In the third quarter of 2020 refinery throughput was increased by 9.8 percent quarter-on-quarter.
Refinery throughput in Russia for the nine months of 2020 decreased by 8.7 percent year-on-year, to 30.4 million tonnes, due to scheduled maintenance works and throughput optimization at Nizhny Novgorod and Ukhta refineries in the second quarter of 2020. In the third quarter of 2020 refinery throughput in Russia was increased by 10 percent quarter-on-quarter.
Refinery throughput in Europe for the nine months of 2020 decreased by 18.3 percent year-on-year, to 15.0 million tonnes, due to scheduled maintenance works at refineries in Bulgaria and the Netherlands, as well as throughput optimization at European refineries in the second and third quarters of 2020. In the third quarter of 2020 refinery throughput in Europe was increased by 9.4 percent quarter-on-quarter, to 4.6 million tonnes, mainly due to partial throughput recovery at refineries in Bulgaria and Italy.
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