Russian refinery in Kirishi suspends oil processing after Ukraine strike
Photo: Russia’s Emergency Ministry (t.me/mchs_official)
Leningrad region Governor Alexander Drozdenko reported a fire in an industrial zone in Kirishi, while industry sources said oil processing at the refinery was halted following a drone attack, according to Reuters.
The shutdown affected the major Russian oil refinery Kirishinefteorgsintez, which stopped processing on Tuesday, May 5, after the strike.
Sources said the attack damaged equipment and sparked a fire on the facility’s grounds.
Damage to units
Sources who spoke to journalists on condition of anonymity said the strike knocked out three of the refinery’s four crude distillation units.
In addition, several secondary processing units were also damaged.
Timeline for repairs
It is currently difficult to assess how long repairs will take. According to sources, the extent of the damage requires further evaluation before any timeline for resuming operations can be determined.
Response from the authorities and the company
Surgutneftegaz, the company that controls the refinery, did not provide an immediate response.
Importance of the facility
The refinery has a capacity of about 20 million tons of oil per year, equivalent to roughly 400,000 barrels per day.
In recent years, the plant processed around 18 million tons annually, accounting for about 7% of Russia’s total oil refining output.
Ukraine’s Security Service, together with Defense Forces units, carried out a strike on the Kirishinefteorgsintez refinery and the Kirishi oil pumping station in Russia’s Leningrad region, causing large-scale fires at the sites.
Satellite data from NASA also confirmed a fire at the refinery in the city of Kirishi, Leningrad region, which was recorded after the drone attack on the night of May 5.
