In Azerbaijan in January-September 2016 the production of motor gasoline decreased by 8.3% to 831.8 thousand tons. This was reported in the monthly report of the State Statistics Committee of Azerbaijan.
According to the report, during this period the production of straight-run gasoline decreased by 7.5% to 131.5 thousand tons, kerosene – by 7.5% to 473.8 thousand tons, diesel fuel – by 19.1% to 1 million 720.9 thousand tons, lubricating oils – by 57.7% to 7.7 thousand tons, and petroleum coke – by 5.9% to 280 thousand tons.
Caspian Barrel analyzing the situation on the fuel market of the country notes that from April 1, 2014 the Oil Refinery named after Heydar Aliyev (specializes in fuel issue) has ceased production of high-octane gasoline AI-95. From that date, Azerbaijan began importing gasoline AI-95 and AI-98.
According to the Customs Committee, in 2014 75,952.9 tons of high-octane gasoline was imported (AI-95 – 75,152 tons and AI-98 – just 800.9 tons) in the amount of $ 84,816,000 ($ 83,905.2 thousand and $ 910.8 thousand, respectively). In 2015 this figure amounted to 45,796.25 tons (AI-95 – 44,993.63 tons and AI-98 – 802.62 tons) in the amount of $ 33,454,330 ($ 32,712,390 and $ 741,940, respectively).
In H1 of 2016 the import of high-octane gasoline to Azerbaijan amounted to 15,346.69 tons (AI-95 – 15,244,390 tons in the amount of $ 8,526,410 and AI-98 – 302.3 tons in the amount of $ 174,090) for $ 8,700,500.
That is, the analysis of statistical data shows that in 2015 the import of high-octane gasoline into Azerbaijan was reduced by 39.7%, although the figures for 2014 were calculated in only 8 months. Thus for 2015 the number of cars in Azerbaijan increased by 26,785, totaling 1.2 million by the end of the year. And in H1 of 2016 the country imported 2,573 more vehicles.
The results of H1 of this year show that in 2016 the country’s consumption of high-octane gasoline will be minimal – no more than 32,000 tons. That is, the recession to the previous year will be another 30%.
Why is the demand for high-octane gasoline falling? In fact, after two devaluations of AZN in 2015 the prices have not risen. The answer is simple: people began to massively save. After all, the production of gasoline brands AI-92 and AI-80 also fell in Azerbaijan; in the first 9 months of the current year itv was 75,000 tons. In comparison with the same period in 2014 low-octane gasoline consumption in the domestic market fell by more than 100,000 tons.
According to Caspian Barrel reports, 25% of the country’s vehicle fleet is cars not older than 15 years. Of these, 5% (60,000) are cars not older than 6 years. Cars manufactured in Europe now require fuel of Euro-5 quality, and even cars of 10 years ago require Euro-4.
Now the Baku Oil Refinery produces gasoline of the Euro-2 standard, which includes much more harmful elements than Euro-4 and Euro-5, thereby adversely affecting the motors of the vehicles, the fuel consumption and the environment.
Complete modernization of the Baku Oil Refinery will be completed in the second quarter of 2020, when it will be possible to produce gasoline of the Euro-6 standard. However, since 2015 the Euro-6 standards are already used in Europe.
