Russia refineries plan Mar shutdowns-trade, regulator

MOSCOW, Feb 28 (Reuters) - Key Russian exporting refineries have scheduled down time for crude units in March, including Khabarovsk refinery, a supplier to Asia, and diesel output will be affected at two, trade and regulatory sources said.

Khabarovsk, which exports 90 percent of its output to Chinese and Singapore markets, will shut one distillation unit from March 10, while Rosneft's Novokuibyshev (ROSN.MM: Quote, Profile, Research), in European Russia, will shut a unit from March 15, according to Energy Ministry data.

Diesel output will be affected at Gazprom Neft's (SIBN.MM: Quote, Profile, Research) Omsk refinery, which has been doing major maintenance on a hydrotreater since January and will likely extend the work into March, trade sources said.

LUKOIL's Volgograd refinery will shut one crude unit and some secondary units, reducing output of middle distillates, trade sources said. (Reporting by Alexander Yershov and Maxim Nazarov)