DRUZHBA: SLOVAK PIPELINE EXPERIENCES TECHNICAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L BRATISLAVA 000012 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/07/2017 TAGS: ENRG ECON PREL PGOV LO RS SUBJECT: DRUZHBA: SLOVAK PIPELINE EXPERIENCES TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES REF: WARSAW 31 Classified By: A/PolEcon Chief William Laitinen for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Transpetrol Board member Jan Kridla (please protect) informed Econoff that Slovakia had experienced "technical difficulties" relating to the flow of oil for a couple of hours on Sunday evening. Volumes remain lower than normal today (1/8),but supply continues to flow. Kridla noted, however, that Transpetrol has been given advanced notice of "a larger event" scheduled for tomorrow (1/9) that could lead to the temporary stoppage of oil along the southern Druzhba pipeline. Kridla would not comment on the source of this information, but stressed that Transpetrol is taking the necessary steps to prepare for this eventuality. ¶2. (SBU) The Slovak government has not commented on the disruption to the pipeline. Slovnaft refinery, which is owned by the Hungarian MOL Group, issued a press release stating that "supplies are in sufficient volumes." According to local energy experts, Slovakia has an approximately 50 day supply of oil and fuel supplies in storage. VALLEE