By Michael Sauerbier
In eight weeks, Germany will cut the Russian oil pipeline to the PCK refinery in Schwedt. Then empty gas stations in Berlin and Brandenburg threaten, warns the PCK boss. Because the supply of the plant is not yet secured.
Crisis summit yesterday in the Potsdam State Chancellery. A new task force from the federal, state, district, city and refinery bodies discussed the future of the plant. Because from the New Year, not a drop of Russian blood oil will flow through the “Druschba” pipe to the PCK. It supplies north-east Germany with diesel, petrol and heating oil.
A replacement comes from an ancient pipeline from the port of Rostock. But: “The capacity of the line is only 50 percent of what the refinery needs,” warns PCK boss Ralf Schairer, “if the replenishment does not always work, there can be interruptions to operations.” Because the plants only use a minimum amount of oil to run.
Brandenburg Prime Minister Dietmar Woidke: “We will experience difficult times and have setbacks” Photo: Soeren Stache/dpa
“We have an oil reserve for a week at the plant,” says the boss. If the oil supply falls below 50 percent for a longer period of time, “we would have had a problem with diesel and kerosene,” Schairer told the BZ, “not ruling out empty gas stations. I warned the task force about that.”
Brandenburg’s Economics Minister Jörg Steinbach (SPD) reassured: “Half the oil supply is sufficient to supply Berlin and Brandenburg. Because 50 percent of the PCK fuels go to other regions.” Only kerosene would have to come from Leuna to BER Airport by tank wagon.
In order to prevent empty gas stations, the federal government is trying to get two more suppliers: Poland could send oil from the port of Gdansk. But Warsaw hasn’t wanted that yet. The negotiations are tough.
Kazakhstan could also pump oil through the Druzhba. But that leads through Russia. Putin could interrupt them at any time.
