Czech official says Unipetrol not taking Druzhba oil due to contamination

PRAGUE (Reuters) - Czech oil refiner Unipetrol, a unit of Poland's PKN Orlen, has stopped taking oil from the Druzhba pipeline from Russia due to chloride contamination, the chief of Czech state strategic reserves said on Twitter on Monday.

"Unipetrol has stopped taking oil from the Druzhba pipeline due to detected contamination by chlorides. Further tests of samples are underway," Pavel Svagr said.

A spokesman for Unipetrol was not immediately available for comment.

News agency CTK earlier quoted Czech Industry and Trade Minister Karel Havlicek as saying an increased level of contamination had been measured in the Druzhba pipeline's southern branch.

(Reporting by Jan Lopatka; Editing by Jan Harvey)