Russia`s refiners are planning heavy maintenance on crude units at several plants in Russia, which are key to both export volumes and domestic fuel supply, a survey of trade, industry and regulatory sources said on Thursday.

Six refineries will shut crude units next month, the sources told Reuters. For a list of 2008 Russian refinery shutdowns, please see.

The spring programme is likely to free up some of the Russian crude that has been absorbed by domestic refineries in increasing volumes, as well as reduce availability of refined products, especially gasoil and fuel oil, in Europe and Asia.

Traders said the approach of spring maintenance reduced domestic spot supplies of summer specification gasoil and high octane gasoline as early as the middle of February as suppliers built stockpiles of fuel to cover the shutdowns.

Russia`s heavy March maintenance will coincide with the expected peak of spring maintenance in Europe, as well as U.S. refinery utilisation of just 84.7 percent.

In the north, the centrepiece of Russia`s maintenance programme will be the shutdown of a large crude unit at the country`s biggest export refinery, the 400,000 barrels per day Kirishi refinery owned by Surgutneftegaz.

The Mediterranean market will likely see extra crude from a 15 day turnaround at LUKOIL`s 200,000 bpd Volgograd refinery, as well as a reduction in middle distillate supply as the refinery shuts some secondary units, trade sources said.

The 94,000 bpd Khabarovsk refinery, recently acquired by Stockholm listed oil company West Siberian, which exports 90 percent of its output to China and Singapore, will shut a crude unit from March 10.

Traders also expect a focus on sulphur as Europe and Russia tightens emissions standards. Gazprom Neft has been doing major maintenance on diesel hydrotreating unit since January and will likely extend into March, a trade source said.
sections: Economics