The U.S.S.R. for the first time disclosed that the breakaway Lithuanian republic has commercial oil production.
That runs counter to earlier portrayals that Lithuania completely lacks petroleum resources (OGJ, Apr. 30, p. 34). Lithuania has 20 oil wells capable of yielding 3,358 b/d,
Moscow newspaper Rabochaya Tribuna (Worker's Tribune) reported. Lithuania's normal oil consumption is about 121,000 b/d, it said.
The Soviets estimate Lithuania's "explored" oil reserves at 36.5 million bbl. Western nations have no intention of delivering crude, diesel, and gasoline to Lithuania, the newspaper declared. It added that Lithuania could not afford $13.79/bbl for foreign crude or $20.55-$27.40/bbl for gasoline.
Meantime, Moscow newspaper Sovetskaya Rossiya (Soviet Russia) said Lithuania received 260,000 b/d of oil last year and was to receive 262,000 b/d in 1990. It placed Lithuania's 1988 natural gas imports from Russia at 180 bcf and said 1990 deliveries were to increase to 247 bcf. Lithuania in 1989 bought Russian crude for about 30 rubles/ton vs. the world market price of 64.5 rubles/ton and diesel for 68 rubles/ton vs. the world price of 78 rubles/ton, Sovetskaya Rossiya said. It reported that Lithuania, which produces no natural gas, bought that fuel from Russia at about half the world price.
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