Norway has the highest petrol prices in Europe, while Russia offers the cheapest, both for diesel and unleaded 95. Lukoil sees the potential cross-border petrol sale and establishes a petrol station just across the border aimed to lure Norwegian border residents.
In the Norwegian border town of Kirkenes a litre of unleaded 95 is around €1,9 and for diesel €1,8. On the Russian side of the border you get a litre of unleaded 95 for around €0,6 and diesel €0,65.
The Russian border is just a 20 minutes drive from Kirkenes.
At a meeting with Murmansk Governor Marina Kovtun this Friday, LUKOIL presented the 300 million rubles (€7,5 million) plan for construction of five new petrol stations on the Kola Peninsula, including the one on the border to Norway.
The Governor’s office has published a statement on their portal welcoming the plan presented by LUKOIL. Murmansk government also hopes LUKOIL would consider constructing a refinery on the Kola Peninsula, a move that could reduce transportation and costs of fuel, Governor Marina Kovtun says.
From June this year, citizens in a 30-kilomter area one both sides of the Norwegian, Russian border can travel without visa, as previously reported by BarentsObserver. The new petrol station on the Russian side of the border will certainly give another boost in Norwegians’ interest to cross the border.
LUKOIL is Russia’s largest privately owned oil company. It operates more than 6,000 petrol stations in 24 countries in addition to Russia.
