Sanctioned Georgia refinery to complete shift from Russian oil by September

Georgia’s only oil refinery, Kulevi, said it will complete its transition away from Russian crude and process only non-Russian oil by the end of September, after being added to an EU sanctions package in July. The refinery has already started taking Kazakh crude in early July and expects a Libyan shipment between Aug. 20 and Aug. 30. The move is important because it shows compliance with EU pressure and could allow the plant to be removed from sanctions if the switch is verified. For the oil market, the news is mildly negative for Russian crude demand and supportive of alternative supply routes into the Black Sea region, though the article does not indicate a broader immediate price reaction beyond a sharp drop in WTI and Brent on the day.