Aviation fuel shortages explained

One of the causes of aviation fuel shortages in Kazakhstan is decreased oil supplies from Russia late 2011, KazMunaiGas Oil and Gas Company’s spokesman Konstantin Kharlamov told a Tengrinews.kz journalist. According to him, Russia refused to supply crude to Kazakhstan. “From October to December 2011 the Pavlodar-based oil refinery (one of the three oil refineries in Kazakhstan) processed only oil coming from Kazakhstan oilfields. Production of kerosene out of the oil is hardly possible at the moment. The situation aggravated when the decision was taken to produce more of AI-92 petrol (the most demanded type of fuel across the country) at the expense of decreased volumes of other petroleum products, including aviation fuel (kerosene)”, Mr. Kharlamov elaborated. He said that oil supplies from Russia had resumed January 6. “Production of kerosene has come to normal. No shortages can be seen. In January a total of 32 500 tons have been produced, with 23 300 tons of them already delivered to airlines. Earlier Kazakhstan-based airlines had been talking of fuel shortages. According to the Air Astana spokeswoman Bella Tormysheva, the Company lacked 72 000 tons of fuel at the time. She also elaborated that the price for aviation fuel in Kazakhstan for the recent year had grown by 130%. The information was confirmed by representatives of Scat, another Kazakhstan-based airline. According to the airlines’ spokesmen, Kazakhstan refineries hadn’t been supplying enough kerosene for the airlines.