Refining Russian crude oil not possible in Bangladesh: ERF

It is not possible to refine Russian crude oil using the current infrastructure of Bangladesh, says the state-run Eastern Refinery Limited (ERF).

The technical committee of the Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation subsidiary revealed the information in a report on Tuesday, after testing samples of the crude oil. 

The committee also pointed out several other technical issues in the report containing 20 pages. 

BPC Chairman ABM Azad confirmed the development to a Bangla daily.

“The findings will soon be conveyed to a supplier,” he added. 

In late August, an adviser to the prime minister claimed the same.

Salman F Rahman, private industry and investment adviser to the prime minister then said, “Bangladesh will not import crude oil from Russia as the former's lone refinery (ERF) does not have the capacity to refine it.”

The refinery has the capacity to refine crude from Middle Eastern countries, but not that from Russia, which has different characteristics, he told an event in Dhaka.

On August 24, Russian Ambassador to Bangladesh Alexander Mantytskiy said Bangladesh is in discussions with Russia to procure crude and refined oil.

At that time, he said samples of Russian crude oil will be made available to Bangladeshi experts to find out whether that can be refined here.