German bitumen production fell by almost a quarter in the first half of this year, as refiners have been forced to run lighter crude slates through the country’s refining system.
Consumption fell sharply too.
Early in the year, the 226,000 b/d PCK Schwedt refinery in northeast Germany was producing no bitumen, after an embargo on Russian crude supplies was implemented.
But since the refinery’s restart with a supply of alternative crudes, including from Kazakhstan through the Druzhba pipeline, the refinery has been producing bitumen again although at below 50pc of levels seen pre-sanctions.
