Russia’s exports of oil products declined by 17.1 percent in September compared with August, and by 17.8 percent year-on-year, according to sources cited by Reuters. The downturn was mainly attributed to planned maintenance at several oil refineries across the country.Refinery Repairs Curb Fuel OutputThe reduction in refinery output was identified as the primary driver behind the export slump. Toward the end of the month, the situation improved slightly — in the first half of September, exports had been down by around 18 percent. Analysts noted that the sharpest declines were recorded in shipments through Azov and Black Sea ports, which fell by 23.2 percent. The Baltic ports reported a smaller 15.4 percent decrease, while exports via Arkhangelsk and Murmansk rose by 1.8 percent, though their overall contribution remained minor.Oil Shipments Rise Despite Fuel ShortfallIn contrast, the Center for Price Indices (CPI) reported a 12.8 percent increase in total maritime exports of Russian crude oil, reaching 476,000 tons. Of this, 172,000 tons were shipped to China, underscoring strong demand from Asia even as refined fuel exports declined.
Russian Oil Product Exports Drop Sharply as Refinery Repairs Limit Output
