Georgia’s Only Oil Refinery to Stop Using Russian Crude by September

July 2, 2026 The Kulevi oil refinery. Black Sea Petroleum Georgia’s only oil refinery said Wednesday that it plans to stop processing Russian crude by the end of this summer in order to avoid being hit by European sanctions. “Starting from August-September of this year, the company will begin refining crude oil of entirely non-Russian origin,” Black Sea Petroleum, which owns the refinery, said in a statement. The Kulevi refinery, opened in October 2025, said it processed 650,000 metric tons of crude oil in the first half of this year. In February, the European Union threatened to include the refinery in its 20th sanctions package over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. However, Brussels later said that it had received commitments that sanctioned “shadow fleet” vessels would be banned from entering an Azerbaijan-owned port located next to the Kulevi facility. Black Sea Petroleum CEO David Potskhveria said in March that the refinery planned to replace Russian crude with supplies from Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan. The diversification of its crude sources would allow Black Sea Petroleum to export refined oil to new markets, including the EU, Potskhveria said at the time. In Thursday’s statement, Black Sea Petroleum said the shift away from Russian crude would “open doors to high-margin markets” for its products. The company also said it was expanding its partnership with the U.S. conglomerate Honeywell for high-tech equipment and automated control systems. Next year, Black Sea Petroleum said it will begin production of road bitumen, which is used as a binder in asphalt. It also plans to process jet fuel. Read more about: Oil , Georgia , Caucasus Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more Explainer: How Does Russia Loom Over Abkhazia’s Latest Protests? The breakaway Georgian region was rocked by protests after activists opposing a controversial investment treaty with Russia were detained and held by security... 4 Min read Kremlin Plays Down South Ossetia Leader's Call to Join Russia The president of the breakaway region of Georgia said he would seek to join Russia via a referendum on unity. South Ossetia Leader Wants Public Debate on Joining Russia The breakaway region is internationally recognized as part of Georgia but hosts Russian military bases. News From Russia: What You Missed Over the Weekend Renegade spacecraft. Deadly shootout in the North Caucasus. Rotenbergian anti-fraud.