Bulgaria's Burgas-based Lukoil Neftochim has installed electronic measuring devices allowing the real-time transmission of fuel volume data to the customs authorities but information concerning fuel export has not been included at this stage.

Starting mid-January, the company will file real-time data about fuel quantities entering and leaving the plant, according to reports of Trud daily.

According to Dimitar Dobrev, Production Director at Lukoil Neftochim, the measuring devices will start reporting export volumes to the customs administration within the deadline provided, or end-2012.

According to Dimitar Dobrev, an estimated 55-60% of Lukoil Neftochim's fuels are sold on the local market and the introduction of procedures for real-time monitoring and reporting of export fuel volumes takes more time because the devices have to be mounted on underwater pipes. 

In Dobrev's words, the refinery has invested a total of USD 29 M in electronic measuring devices and the equipment was ordered back in February.

All producers and importers of excise goods were supposed to link up to the database of the customs authorities over a year ago.

Lukoil, however, failed to observe the deadline, which caused the Customs Agency to revoke the licenses of two of its tax warehouses, the Neftochim refinery and the Rosenets oil terminal, in end-July.

After it lodged an appeal against the preliminary execution of the individual administrative acts issued by the Customs Agency head, the Neftochim refinery was allowed to stay in operation until the case was resolved with a verdict.

The temporary production halt at Lukoil Neftochim caused Bulgaria to tap state reserves for jet fuel for the airports in Varna, Burgas and Sofia.

On Monday, Customs Agency Director Vanyo Tanov said that the oil company was registering substantial progress with the installation of the necessary equipment and was expected to comply with the statutory requirements by January 15, 2012, at which point it would have its license restored.

They mounted the necessary equipment at the exit of the Lukoil Neftochim refinery and have almost ensured full compliance with the law at that point. What remains to be done is to make sure that the entry point is also in line with the requirements. The Rosenets oil terminal, however, leaves a lot to be done and I believe it will be completed by the end of next year," Tanov stated.

Tanov's words do not quite match the refinery's claims because in his words the oil processing plant has "almost" met reporting standards at the exit point of the tax warehouse, while the monitoring of crude oil volumes entering the plant was yet to be made legally compliant.

Tanov told journalists that he expected the Rosenets oil terminal to start transmitting reports to the customs administration by end-2012.

In end-August, however, Lukoil Bulgaria CEO Valentin Zlatev explained that the installation of electronic measuring devices at Rosenets would take "no less than three years."

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