Czech Republic cuts off Russian imports and completes transition to Western oil sources

Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala announced a major milestone on Thursday: the country has completely weaned itself off Russian oil for the first time in 60 years. This historic shift marks a complete halt to fuel deliveries through the Druzhba pipeline. 

The recent expansion of the Trans-Alpine (TAL) system has made it possible to transport crude oil directly from the west. The pipeline's capacity was expanded to 8 million tons per year, meeting the country's fuel needs. The Czech refinery Orlen Unipetrol is likely to start processing Norwegian crude from the enhanced pipeline next week.

Russia used to supply up to 58% of the Czech Republic's oil needs, but this gap is now being filled by alternative sources, namely Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Guyana, and Norway. Despite such a shift, MERO CEO Jaroslav Pantucek noted that the Druzhba pipeline remains technically ready for future deliveries, including transporting raw materials from other countries.