Italy decrees temporary intervention of a Russian Lukoil refinery in Sicily

The government of Italia ordered this Thursday the “emergency intervention” of a refinery of the Russian oil giant Lukoil in Sicily to prevent its closure and guarantee the power supply.

the refinery ALSO, one of the largest in Europe, located in the Sicilian town of Priolo, ran the risk of having to stop its production due to the entry into force on December 5 of the embargo on the importation of russian crude by sea, imposed by the European Union (EU) as a sanction for the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The emergency intervention aims to protect both a strategic national energy pole and employment levels so important for Sicily and the whole country,” Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said in a statement.

A government source specified that this “provisional administration” will last a maximum of one year.

Fearing sanctions, the european banks stopped funding refinery operations ALSO and to provide the necessary guarantees to import oil from other countries.

The refinery has an annual refining capacity of 10 million tons of crude and supplies around 20% of the country’s needs.

“It is a temporary solution” to “avoid the stoppage of machinery and activity, as well as the loss of jobs,” said the president of the Sicily region, Renato Schifani.

Germany also assumed control of the activities of the Russian oil group Rosneftto guarantee their energy supply.

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