The capacity of the Ukrainian gasoline market increased by 8% in 2023, LPG – by 18%, diesel fuel – by 25%, said Sergiy Yun, Director of the consulting group A-95 Sergiy Kuyun on Facebook.
“We have pushed off from the bottom-22. Preliminary growth in gasoline supplies is 8%, diesel – 25%, gas – 18%,” he wrote.
At the same time, according to the expert, this year’s gasoline balances have lost 16%, diesel – 17%, and autogas – 34% compared to 2021.
According to Kuyun, the collapse of the fuel market in Ukraine occurred in 2022 with the beginning of Russian aggression.
“In 2022, the market lost almost 2.5 million tons of diesel, almost a third of gasoline, and liquefied gas almost halved,” the expert said during a presentation of the results of the oil products market at the Ukraine-Ukrinform Media Center on December 21.
According to the preliminary data on oil product balances in Ukraine in 2021-2023, released by A-95 during the presentation, the forecast volume of the LPG market in 2023 was to be 1.283 million tons, gasoline – 2.275 million tons, and diesel fuel – 6.685 million tons.
Shebelynka gas refinery (Šhebel) has begun production of winter diesel fuel, according to a press release from NJSC Naftogaz Ukrainy on Thursday.“From year to year, the interest of our consumers in Shebel fuel is growing. Therefore, the issue of quality and reliability of products is in the first place. We are working to ensure that Ukrainian drivers have a worthy alternative to imports,” Commercial Director of JSC Ukrgazvydobuvannia Serhiy Fedorenko said.According to the company, the maximum filtration temperature of Shebel winter diesel fuel is minus 25 degrees Celsius (at the norm of minus 20 degrees Celsius), the sulfur content is up to 6.5 mg/kg (at the norm up to 10 mg/kg), and the cetane number is 50 (at the norm not less than 49).In production of Shebel winter diesel fuel, additives from the German chemical concern BASF are used, the technological developments of which the company uses in production of other types of motor fuels (Shebel 95, Shebel 92 gasoline).“With the beginning of the winter season with lower temperatures, it is planned to put out the Arctic diesel fuel Shebel,” the press release said.As reported, Shebelynka gas refinery, after the completion of the scheduled preventive maintenance in October this year, switched to production of diesel with improved low-temperature characteristics.Shebelynka gas refinery belongs to PJSC Ukrgazvydobuvannia, a 100% subsidiary of NJSC Naftogaz Ukrainy.
JSC Ukrzaliznytsia is discussing with its U.S. partners an agreement for the supply of an additional batch of diesel locomotives, Chairman of the board of the company Ivan Yuryk has said.
“I think that we will move along several parallel paths to modernize diesel traction. Both the modernization of the existing ones and the purchase of a small batch of new diesel locomotives are planned. We are now discussing with our U.S. partners an additional batch of up to 40 new diesel locomotives. I hope we will come to signing by the end of the year,” he said.
Yuryk also said that the company has also begun the process of purchasing new electric locomotives up to 200 units of various types of electric traction.
“Now we are holding an open tender. I hope that by the end of the year there will also be an answer who will become our partner in the construction and acquisition of these locomotives. The task of our company and the government is a large percentage of localization so that we launch the economy inside the country,” the chairman of Ukrzaliznytsia said.
The introduction of duties on import of diesel fuel and liquefied gas of Russian production will cause price increases, weaken competition in the market and will not solve the problems of Ukrainian oil refineries, according to A-95 Consulting Group.
According to a press release, the group came to such conclusions following a study of complaints by Ukrainian fuel producers represented by PJSC Ukrtatnafta, PJSC Ukrnafta and JSC Ukrgazvydobuvannia to the Interdepartmental Commission on International Trade, in which they asked for an anti-subsidiary investigation and introduce duties on Russian diesel fuel and liquefied natural gas in the amount of 8.46% with an increase to 25.4% over five years.
“The main argument of manufacturers is dumping by Russian exporters, which is not true. Imported petroleum products, including Russian ones, are sold to Ukraine with premiums to the world quotes. So, for 2020 Ukrainian companies signed contracts for Russian diesel fuel with a premium to European quotes of up to $35/tonne, for liquefied gas of up to $22/tonne. This is due to the fact that Ukraine remains import dependent: in 2019, imports of diesel fuel accounted for 88% in the national balance, liquefied gas for 78.5%,” A-95 said.
According to the group, the most critical consequences of duties will be felt by the diesel market, which accounts for 70% in the basket of motor fuels. If the proposed duty is introduced at 8.46%, imports from Russia may cease completely, which will increase pressure on the remaining sources of supply, primarily Belarus, whose share will grow from the current 35% to 60% of the market. At the same time, the capabilities of Ukrainian producers are limited by a twofold increase in processing, which in the best case will allow raising the market weight from 12% to 25%.
