Page 16 - DMEA Week 12 2022

DMEA NEWS IN BRIEF DMEA

REFINING Arabia and the rest on the spot market. FUELS
DELFI
Orlen Lithuania plans to Clarification on Dangote IPMAN submits reports on

stop refining Russian oil contaminated shipments to

Poland’s oil group Orlen, the owner of relocation govt
Lithuania’s sole crude refinery, is planning to A former governor of Ondo State, Dr
completely stop buying Russian oil in the near Olusegun Mimiko, has denied an allegation Members of the Independent Petroleum
future, Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte said making the rounds that he caused the state to Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN)
on Tuesday. lose hosting the Dangote crude oil refinery have submitted to the federal government a
“As far as I know, the company [Orlen to Lagos State because he demanded a bribe collection of their reports on financial and
Lietuva] itself intends to abandon [Russian] from Aliko Dangote. operational setbacks they have experienced
crude oil in the near future,” Simonyte told It was gathered that the project was initially due to the accidental import of contaminated
reporters when asked if it was realistic for planned to be sited at the Olokola Free Trade petrol.
Lithuania to stop all of its energy imports Zone in the Ilaje Local Government Area of In the compilation of reports, which
from Russia. “It’s up to the company to decide Ondo State, but was later taken to Lagos State. IPMAN delivered to Abuja on March 21, all
because it is Orlen that is buying [crude], not Denying the allegation in a statement on members of the trade association reported
the state.” “As far as I know, the company is Wednesday, Mimiko described it as falsehood that extensive losses and disruptions had
very close to the stage when it will no longer and mischievous. followed the discovery that several cargoes
be buying Russian oil and will no longer The statement was issued by Mimiko’s of imported petrol had contained excessively
be using it for refining,” she added. Orlen Special Assistant on Media and Digital high levels of methanol.
Lietuva Deputy CEO Audrius Daugnora has Communications, Mr John Akinduro. Local media outlet The Punch, citing
said recently that it would not be difficult It read in part, “Reports of the often sections of the reports, indicated that only a
for the company to stop refining Russian oil, repeated falsehood about Aliko Dangote few Nigerian filling stations actually sold the
because it has been diversifying its crude oil opting out of the Olokola FTZ for his refinery contaminated petrol to drivers before it was
sources since 2014. In recent years, Russian project owing to an alleged demand for removed from the market.
oil accounted for about two-thirds of crude personal benefit by Dr Olusegun Mimiko has Nevertheless, it said, nearly all of the
processed by the refinery, but now “the been brought to our notice. country’s fuel retailers sustained major losses
numbers are turning the other way round”, “We state that this lie is totally and will be seeking compensation from the
according to the official. reprehensible. That otherwise informed federal government.
Orlen said in early March that it was people are repeating the utter falsehood is sad. The newspaper also quoted Chief John
intensifying crude oil supplies to its refineries “We state for the umpteenth time that Kekeocha, the national secretary of IPMAN,
from alternative routes and had agreed Mimiko did not make any personal demand, as saying that the accidental import of
with Saudi Aramco on the purchase of five cash or kind, or receive any personal contaminated petrol had forced some
additional North Sea oil tankers, with some gratification that led to the location of the filling stations to suspend operations. These
of the crude to go the refinery in Mazeikiai, in factory in Lekki instead of Olokola.” temporary shutdowns have contributed to
northwestern Lithuania. “Again, this allegation is a blatant lie and lingering shortages of fuel in some areas of the
The Polish group said last year that it we hope that Alhaji Aliko Dangote will, one country, he said.
that was buying 57 percent of crude for its day, volunteer facts on why he chose Lekki NEWSBASE
refineries from Russia under long-term supply over Olokola.”
contracts, another 8 percent from Saudi PUNCH

P16 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 12 24•March•2022