Russian refinery runs are expected to fall in April month-on-month on "the maintenance season peak," the International Energy Agency said in its latest monthly report Thursday.
A host of Russian refineries are starting works over the course of April, including Ryazan, Novokuybishev, Orsk, Astrakhan, Syzran and Taneco, according to trading sources.
Runs are due to "recover by June", the IEA said.
In March, Russian refinery throughput showed "a more modest" year-on-year growth of 50,000 b/d, the IEA said, adding that the growth Was "slower than the pace we have seen in recent months."
Russian maintenance, although fairly light during March, included the Moscow refinery, which started large-scale maintenance and upgrade in early January and is expected to be back on line by the end of April.
The refinery has been increasing its offers of oil products on the Russian spot market recently, prompting expectations that it will be back on line as expected this month.
In addition, the nearby Yaroslavl refinery started its scheduled maintenance in early March, and production has been somewhat curtailed at the Ufa group of refineries due to some technological adjustments.
Runs are expected to pick up at Belarus refineries in Q2, as Russia had agreed to "restore the [crude] supplies to normal volumes" after the two countries reached an agreement over a their gas dispute, the IEA said.
It added that with "major maintenance works" in Kazakhstan, the overall Q2 runs in the Former Soviet Union will be about 170,000 b/d lower than in Q1.
Two of Kazakhstan's refineries, Shymkent and Pavlodar, have scheduled works in Q1 and Q2, the energy ministry said earlier.
In OECD Europe, the IEA expects throughput to decline in Q2, "as the maintenance that started in March accelerates," but added that runs are still likely to be up year-on-year "as French throughput in May-June rebounds from last year's strikes."
