Kralupy nad Vltavou, 11 April 2024 – MERO ČR is preparing the Czech Republic to become independent of Russian crude oil from the Druzhba crude oil pipeline. MERO ČR continues to prepare the TAL-PLUS project and other activities that will ensure the independence of the Czech Republic from Russian crude oil at the end of 2024, and in the first half of 2025 there will be a full supply of crude oil via the western route from the Italian port of Trieste, i.e., the TAL and IKL crude oil pipelines.
The TAL-PLUS project
The TAL-PLUS project is key to the independence of the Czech Republic from Russian crude oil. This project is implemented by MERO ČR together with the TAL consortium. This is expected to increase the existing transport capacity of the European TAL crude oil pipeline, with the help of many technical and technological modifications along the entire route of the crude oil pipeline.
This year, new pumps and motors will be installed on the crude oil pipeline and its capacity will gradually increase. The installation of new flow meters at all delivery points is also under preparation.
At the end of this year, the capacity of the TAL crude oil pipeline will be expanded, and thanks to this, the Czech Republic will receive an additional 4 million tons of crude oil per year via the western route from the Italian port of Trieste.
The TAL crude oil pipeline and the connecting IKL crude oil pipeline will be able to deliver up to 8 million tons of crude oil to the Czech Republic each year. This will fully cover the needs of the Czech Republic and it will no longer be dependent on Russian crude oil from the Druzhba crude oil pipeline.
After the expansion of the capacity of the TAL crude oil pipeline, which will take place at the end of this year, MERO ČR will complete all the work required to completely cut the Czech Republic off from Russian crude oil.
In the first half of 2025, operational verification tests will be performed, the installation of reserve pumps and motors will be completed, the prescribed safety tests will be performed, the operational and technical documentation will be updated, and the required documents will be submitted to the supervisory authorities.
At the same time, the last construction work at the Central Crude Oil Tank Farm in Nelahozeves will be completed, the balance and control system will be modified, and backup pumps will be installed at the Vohburg Crude Oil Tank Farm at the subsidiary company MERO Germany.
The IKL crude oil pipeline should fully replace Russian crude oil supplies as early as mid-2025.
Thanks to the TAL-PLUS project, the Czech Republic will become independent of Russian crude oil after almost sixty years.
Modernization of the IKL crude oil pipeline
An important part of the Czech Republic’s preparation for oil independence is the modernization of the IKL crude oil pipeline.
In cooperation with its subsidiary MERO Germany GmbH, MERO ČR completed one of the most technologically complex operations in the modernization of crude oil pipelines.
After sixteen years, the control system for the transportation and storage of crude oil was completely replaced. The existing control system has been operating since 2008, but some of its elements even date back to 1995. The new SCADA (Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition) control system began operating in March of this year.
The new control system has state-of-the-art system elements for dispatch control, data collection, and protection of crude oil transportation. It will also be more protected against potential cyberattacks. Its installation required several complex technical and technological measures, including the production of 65 new switchboards, three server centers, and the modification of the optical cables along the entire length of the IKL crude oil pipeline on its Czech and German sides, measuring a total length of 350 kilometers.
