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☆ Exclusive: Greek shippers exit Russian oil trade as U.S. tightens price cap scrutiny
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

REUTERS/Tatiana Meel/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsMOSCOW/LONDON, Nov 23 (Reuters) - Three major Greek shipping firms have stopped transporting Russian oil in recent weeks in order to avoid U.S. sanctions now being imposed on some shipping firms carrying Russian oil, four traders told Reuters and shipping data showed. Greek shippers Minerva Marine, Thenamaris and TMS Tankers have stopped transporting Russia oil in recent weeks, the four traders said. The Greek shippers' exit from the trade followed tighter U.S. sanctions imposed on Russian oil shipments. The G7 countries introduced a price cap on Russian oil in late 2022, but had not previously enforced it. Russian oil trade has brought record revenues over the past year to the shippers who took the risk and stayed in the business.

Persons: Tatiana Meel, Thenamaris, Minerva, Jonathan Saul, Dmitry Zhdannikov, Eleftherios Papadimas, Susan Fenton Organizations: Nord, REUTERS, Minerva, TMS, Minerva Marine, Reuters, United Arab Emirates, Treasury, Thomson Locations: Nakhodka Bay, Nakhodka, Russia, LONDON, Asia, Turkey, East, Africa, South America, Moscow, Washington, OPEC, U.S, Baltic, India, Primorsk, Ust, Iran, Europe, UAE, Hong Kong, Seychelles, Ghana, Liberia, Cook, London, Athens

☆ Fire at refinery near major port Novorossiisk put out - Russian authorities
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Oct 29 (Reuters) - A fire that broke out in early hours of Sunday at the Afipsky oil refinery in Russia's Krasnodar region was promptly extinguished, the region's emergency security authorities said after social media reports of powerful blasts shaking the refinery. Earlier, Russia's defence ministry, without providing much detail, said that its air defence systems destroyed 36 Ukraine-launched drones over the Black Sea and the northwestern part of the Crimean Peninsula. The Afipsky plant, which was last attacked in May, can process around 6 million tonnes (44 million barrels) of oil each year. The port of Novorossiisk, together with the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) terminal, bring about 1.5% of global oil to market. Reporting by Lidia Kelly in Melbourne; Editing by William Mallard and Raju GopalakrishnanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Lidia Kelly, William Mallard, Raju Gopalakrishnan Organizations: Reuters, Caspian Pipeline Consortium, Thomson Locations: Russia's Krasnodar, Krasnodar, Novorossiisk, Ukraine, Crimean, Kyiv, Crimea, Moscow, Russia, Melbourne

☆ Fire at Refinery Near Major Port Novorossiisk Put Out, Russian Authorities Say
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-28 | by ( Oct. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

(Reuters) - A fire that broke out in early hours of Sunday at the Afipsky oil refinery in Russia's Krasnodar region was promptly extinguished, the region's emergency security authorities said after social media reports of powerful blasts shaking the refinery. Baza and Shot, two Russian news outlets with good security sources, said that the fire at the refinery, which lies 50 miles (80 km) east of the Black Sea port of Novorossiisk, one of Russia's most important oil export gateways, was caused by a drone attack. Earlier, Russia's defence ministry, without providing much detail, said that its air defence systems destroyed 36 Ukraine-launched drones over the Black Sea and the northwestern part of the Crimean Peninsula. The Afipsky plant, which was last attacked in May, can process around 6 million tonnes (44 million barrels) of oil each year. The port of Novorossiisk, together with the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) terminal, bring about 1.5% of global oil to market.

Persons: Lidia Kelly, William Mallard, Raju Gopalakrishnan Organizations: Reuters, Caspian Pipeline Consortium Locations: Russia's Krasnodar, Krasnodar, Novorossiisk, Ukraine, Crimean, Kyiv, Crimea, Moscow, Russia, Melbourne

☆ Russia's western sea port oil exports seen falling as refinery runs rise -sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Russia has pledged to preserve an oil export cut of 300,000 bpd until the end of the year. Most recently Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said that cut includes both oil and oil products. Russia banned oil product exports in the end of September resulting in higher oil exports in October. Still, the November refinery throughput plan could be adjusted, traders said, depending on the length of the oil product export ban and on domestic fuel prices. "Fundamentally we expect a decline in November Urals exports, though the oil product ban was something no one expected, so it is difficult to predict exports given such sudden government decisions," a source in Russian oil market said.

Persons: Alexey Malgavko, Alexander Novak, Jason Neely Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Siberian, Omsk, Russia, Primorsk, Ust

☆ Why the volatile South Caucasus is important for oil and gas supplies
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The region is criss-crossed with oil and gas pipelines, though none are in close proximity to Karabakh itself. OIL- Azerbaijan's primary route for oil exports is the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline, which accounts for around 80% of country's oil exports and runs via Georgia and on to the Turkish Mediterranean coast. - Azerbaijan's total oil exports in January-July 2023 were 23.1 million tons (800,000 bpd), of which 76.3% flowed through the BTC. NATURAL GAS- Azerbaijan has plans to increase natural gas exports to Europe. Azerbaijan exported 6.6 bcm of natural gas to Europe in January-July.

Persons: Deniz, Vladimir Soldatkin, Mark Trevelyan Organizations: BTC, BP, Thomson Locations: MOSCOW, Azerbaijan, Nagorno, Karabakh, South Caucasus, Armenia, Baku, Tbilisi, Ceyhan, Georgia, Turkish, Russia, Supsa, Europe, Azeri

Three producers listed in the customs data confirmed to Reuters they had shipped coal from the two regions to Turkey during that period. Reuters was unable to find any information in customs data about deliveries of coal produced in the DNR to Turkey or other countries in 2022. Customs data shows Nedra-06 made two shipments of coal to Turkey totalling 1,600 tonnes in May and June. The buyers were Belize-based Brig Management LTD and Green Rabbit LTD of Hong Kong, the customs data showed. Coal bought at Russian ports by Brig Management LTD and Green Rabbit LTD was taken to Turkey, the data showed.

Persons: Vitaliy Khotsenko, Adzhmal, Vostokugol, Anton Nadeyev, Nadeyev, I'm, Denis Karashchuk, Karashchuk, Filipp Lebedev, Gleb Stolyarov, Humeyra Pamuk, Tom Balmforth, Julia Payne, Jose Sanchez, Mike Collett, White, Daniel Flynn Organizations: NATO, Reuters, European, British Virgin Islands, Donetsk People's Republic, Russia's Ministry of Energy, Federal Customs Service, Luhansk People's Republics, European Union, United, Ukraine, U.S . State Department, UN, Assembly, Florance, Management, Hong, Brig Management, Rabbit, Belize Companies, Corporate Affairs, Green Rabbit, Coal, Toksabay, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Turkey Ankara, Russia, Turkey, Donetsk, Luhansk, United States, European Union, Moscow . Washington, Moscow, Ankara, Ukrainian, Hong Kong, UAE, Belize, British Virgin, East, Africa, Russian, Rostov, Novorossiisk, Turkey . U.S, Antratsyt, Yasynuvata, Tbilisi, Washington, Kyiv, Brussels

Three producers listed in the customs data confirmed to Reuters they had shipped coal from the two regions to Turkey during that period. Turkey, a major coal consumer and importer, is bucking the global trend by increasing coal's share in electricity generation. Customs data shows Nedra-06 made two shipments of coal to Turkey totalling 1,600 tonnes in May and June. The buyers were Belize-based Brig Management LTD and Green Rabbit LTD of Hong Kong, the customs data showed. Coal bought at Russian ports by Brig Management LTD and Green Rabbit LTD was taken to Turkey, the data showed.

☆ Exclusive: Insurers raise premiums for Black Sea tankers as tensions mount - traders
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A general view shows the Novorossiysk Fuel Oil Terminal (NMT) in the Black Sea port of Novorossiisk, Russia May 30, 2018. Military actions in the Black Sea area of Russian and Ukrainian Black Sea ports have escalated since the grain export deal fell apart in mid-July. Most recently Russia reported several attacks at its Black Sea ports. So far, oil loadings from Russia's Black Sea ports have not been affected by the attacks, but risks are mounting, traders said. Oil product exports from Russia's Black Sea ports is about 4 million tonnes per year.

Persons: Natalya Chumakova, David Evans Organizations: Oil, REUTERS, Rights, Insurance, Traders, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Black, Novorossiisk, Russia, Ukraine, Moscow, Russian, Ukrainian, India

"It is not going to be easy for them (Russia)," said one industry executive with knowledge of grains exports. Last year, Russia exported a record volume of wheat on ships chartered from international companies and traders. "Most of what is coming out is dealt with by Russian traders using (shadow) fleet ships, which international traders would not touch". The Black Sea remains a critical area for Russian exports, with other locations more complicated and costly. Russia's Black Sea terminals handle about 70% of the country's grain exports.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Eduard Zernin, Zernin, Cargill, Louis Dreyfus, Viterra, Dreyfus, Bunge, Denmark's, Mike Salthouse, Rosagroleasing, Victoria Mitchell, Jonathan Saul, Nigel Hunt, Polina Devitt, Gus Trompiz, Frank Jack Daniel Our Organizations: General's, REUTERS, Russia's, Grain, Reuters, International Grains Council, Russian, Control, Thomson Locations: Russian, Odesa, Ukraine, Russia Russia, Moscow, Africa, Novorossiysk, Russia's Union, Russia, Turkey, China, Denmark's NORDEN, Bulgaria, Romania, United States, Europe, Taman, Russia's, ., London, Paris

☆ Exclusive: Russia sets plans for oil export cuts in August - sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Moscow this month pledged to cut exports by 500,000 bpd in August, while Saudi Arabia extended its 1 million bpd output cuts. Russia exports oil and products via the Pacific and a direct pipeline to China as well as its European ports. Three sources familiar with the matter told Reuters that Russia had instructed oil companies to reduce supply plans for the next month. Russian offline primary oil refining capacity is seen rising by 40% in August from July, making additional oil export cuts next month even tougher for many. If Russia wants to cut oil exports in August from July, companies may postpone some planned works to autumn months to increase domestic oil consumption, or cut oil production, traders said.

Persons: Alexander Novak, Novak, Igor Sechin, Rosneft, Jan Harvey Organizations: Pacific, Reuters, OPEC, Thomson Locations: Russia, Ukraine, MOSCOW, Moscow, Saudi Arabia, OPEC, Ust, Luga, Baltic, China

U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude (WTI) fell 5 cents or 0.1% to $69.81. While it would be Brent's first monthly gain for 2023, it would mark a second for WTI after a gain in April. Despite the probable monthly gain, on a quarterly basis, Brent looks set for a loss of about 6% while WTI appears headed for a decline of about 7%. The oil price gains on Friday were, however, capped by weak Chinese economic data and fears of higher interest rates. U.S. oil rig count data, an indicator of future supply, will be released later in the day.

Persons: Brent, WTI, Yeap, Rong, Novorossiisk, Robert Carnell, Jerome Powell, Arathy Somasekhar, Muyu Xu, Edwina Gibbs, Robert Birsel Organizations: Brent, . West Texas, U.S . Energy Information Administration, IG, ING, Federal Reserve, Thomson Locations: U.S, Saudi Arabia, That's, OPEC, Primorsk, Ust, Houston, Singapore

REUTERS/StringerLONDON, June 24 (Reuters) - Following are facts about oil, gas and grains flows in Russia's southern region of Rostov, where the capital Rostov-on-Don was seized by Russian mercenaries. Russia's main grain exporting terminals on the Black Sea are further south, and this area has been unaffected by the developments so far. OIL & GASThe region of Rostov is not a major energy producer but several big oil and gas pipelines cross its territory. Russia is the world's second largest oil exporter after Saudi Arabia. Russia's pipeline monopoly Transneft controls many pump stations on the route, including in the Rostov region.

Persons: Wagner, Stringer LONDON, Don, Vladimir Putin, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Andrey Sizov, Sizov, Dmitry Zhdannikov, Ros Russell Organizations: Southern Military District, REUTERS, Wagner, Reuters, U.S . Department of Agriculture, Thomson Locations: Rostov, Don, Russia, Russia's, Russian, Azov, Saudi Arabia, Novorossiisk, Krasnodar, Voronezh

☆ Fire at oil refinery in Russia's Krasnodar likely caused by drone -governor
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

May 31 (Reuters) - A fire that broke out at the Afipsky oil refinery in Russia's Krasnodar region was likely caused by a drone, the region's governor said early on Wednesday. The fire was soon extinguished and there were no casualties, Governor Veniamin Kondratyev said on the Telegram messaging app. The Afipsky refinery lies not far from the Black Sea port of Novorossiisk in Krasnodar. Ukraine almost never publicly claims responsibility for attacks inside Russia or on Russian-controlled territory in Ukraine. Reporting by Lidia Kelly and David Ljunggren; Editing by Christian Schmollinger and Tom HogueOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Veniamin Kondratyev, Lidia Kelly, David Ljunggren, Christian Schmollinger, Tom Hogue Organizations: Thomson Locations: Russia's Krasnodar, Novorossiisk, Krasnodar, Russia, Ukraine, Moscow

☆ Ukrainian drone sparks fire at Russian refinery - governor
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

MOSCOW/KYIV, May 31 (Reuters) - A Ukrainian drone sparked a fire at an oil refinery in southern Russia and shelling hit a Russian town close to the border for the third time in a week, damaging buildings and setting vehicles ablaze, Russian officials said on Wednesday. The Afipsky refinery is not far from the Black Sea port of Novorossiisk, near another refinery that has been attacked several times this month. There was no immediate information on who launched the drone but Moscow has accused Kyiv of increased attacks inside Russia in recent weeks, while Russia has repeatedly pounded Ukrainian cities with drones and missiles. Russian drone attacks killed one person and wounded four in Kyiv on Tuesday, according to Ukrainian officials. Civilian targets in Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities have since the earliest days of the war been struck repeatedly by Russian drones and missiles.

Persons: Veniamin Kondratyev, Vyacheslav Gladkov, Mykhailo Podolyak, Vladimir Putin, Putin, Karine Jean, Pierre, Rafael Grossi, Grossi, David Ljunggren, Guy Faulconbridge, Max Hunder, Olena Harmash, Pavel Polityuk, Valentyn Ogirenko, Gleb Garanich, Lidia Kelly, Trevor Hunnicutt, Steve Holland, Stephen Coates, Robert Birsel Organizations: Kyiv, Residents, Civilian, Washington, Russian, International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, . Security, Thomson Locations: MOSCOW, KYIV, Ukrainian, Russia, Ukraine, Moscow, Russia's Krasnodar, Novorossiisk, Russian, Kyiv, Shebekino, Ukraine's Kharkiv, Ukraine's, Washington, United States, Zaporizhzhia

☆ Oil exports from Russia's western ports hit 4-yr high in April
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Russian crude exports and transit from the ports of Primorsk, Ust-Luga and Novorossiisk in April will rise above 10 million tonnes, up from 9.7 million tonnes in March, which is a day longer. It was unclear if Russia's high exports mean it has lowered its output cuts. Seasonal maintenance on Russian refineries in April could explain the high crude exports as the state's domestic market needs less oil, the sources added. Urals crude exports from Primorsk in April will reach some 4.4 million tonnes, while Ust-Luga will load 3.0 million tonnes of Russia's Urals and Kazakstan's KEBCO crude oil grades, the three sources told Reuters on condition of anonymity. Russia's Urals oil keeps flowing to Asia in April, while softer freight rates help the grade's sellers to reach far-away costumers, accoding to Reuters souces.

☆ India remains top destination for Russian Urals oil in April
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

MOSCOW, April 10 (Reuters) - India remains the main destination for Russia's seaborne Urals oil, with about 70% of such exports heading to the country, Reuters monitoring and data from two industry sources showed on Monday. Last month Russia's Rosneft and Indian Oil Corp (IOC.NS) announced a supply deal for up to 1.5 million tonnes of Russian oil (11 million barrels) per month from April 1. Urals oil shipments to China, meanwhile, have not increased significantly in April. "China is buying Urals, but not as actively as was expected," a trade source involved in Russian oil trading said. Russia's Gazpromneft shipped 140,000 tonnes of Urals from Novorossiisk to Myanmar in April, having supplied it for the first time in March.

Most international grain traders have stopped new investment in Russia since last year following Moscow's invasion of Ukraine but continued exporting Russian wheat. "As grain export-related challenges continue to mount, Cargill will stop elevating Russian grain for export in July 2023 after the completion of the 2022-2023 season," the company said in an emailed statement. "The cessation of its export activities on the Russian market will not affect the volume of domestic grain shipments abroad. The company's grain export assets will continue to operate regardless of who manages them," the agriculture ministry told Reuters. According to RBC business daily, Cargill will export 2.2 million tonnes of Russian grain in the 2022-23 exporting season, or around 4% of Russia's total grain exports.

☆ Factbox: The battle over Russia's crude and oil products
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

MOSCOW, March 15 (Reuters) - In attempt to curb Russia's oil revenues, Western countries imposed sweeping sanctions against Russian crude oil and oil products. Below are the sanctions so far imposed, their impact and Russia's response:CRUDE OIL- The G7, the European Union and Australia stopped buying all Russian crude oil delivered by sea - or 2/3 of all EU imports of Russian crude - from Dec. 5. - Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree banning the supply of crude oil and oil products from Feb. 1 to nations that abide by the cap. - Russia's crude oil loadings from its Baltic ports of Primorsk and Ust-Luga and the Black Sea port of Novorossiisk were some 10% below the target for February. - In February the EU released from sanctions oil products which are produced from Russian oil outside the country and canceled the price cap for those oil products which are mixed with those from other countries.

☆ Exclusive: Russia plans deep March oil export cuts -sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

MOSCOW/LONDON, Feb 22 (Reuters) - Russia plans to cut oil exports from its western ports by up to 25% in March versus February, exceeding its announced production cuts in a bid to lift prices for its oil, three sources in the Russian oil market said. Russia had already announced plans to cut its oil production by 500,000 barrels per day in March, amounting to 5% of its output or 0.5% of global production. U.S. treasury officials have said the Russian decision to cut oil production reflects its inability to sell all its oil. "The export cuts appear to be deeper than the planned production cuts. Russian oil has traded below than level in recent weeks due to steep discounts and expensive freight rates.

☆ Maersk nears complete Russia exit after selling logistics sites
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

COPENHAGEN, Feb 20 (Reuters) - Shipping and logistics group A.P. Moller-Maersk (MAERSKb.CO) has agreed to sell its two logistics sites in Russia to IG Finance Development Limited, it said on Monday, nearly marking the end of its business activities in the country. "We are pleased to have found a new owner of our two logistics sites in Russia and thereby execute on our decision to divest all our assets in the country," Chief Commercial Officer Karsten Kildahl said in a statement. IG Finance Development, a company registered in Cyprus, has made an agreement with Arosa, a large food importer in Russia, to operate the sites, Maersk said. After that, Maersk will not have any business in Russia.

☆ Western tankers ramp up Russian oil shipments under price cap
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The Group of Seven nations (G7), Australia and the 27 European Union countries placed a price limit on Russian crude oil of $60 per barrel on Dec. 5. The cap allows non-EU countries to import seaborne Russian crude oil, but prohibits Western shipping and insurance companies from handling cargoes of the crude unless it is sold at or below that price. Russia has said it will not accept an oil price cap. GREEK RELIEFGreek-owned ships run by Greek management firms handled at least 21 voyages of Russian crude in January to a range of destinations. NGM said its tanker, the Ace, had discharged crude oil in Bulgaria.

☆ Russia's Transneft receives Polish and German requests for oil
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The EU has pledged to stop buying Russian oil via maritime routes from Dec. 5, with Western nations also imposing price caps on Russian crude oil, but the Druzhba pipeline remains exempt from sanctions. And now we have received requests from Polish consumers: give us 3 million tonnes next year, and 360,000 tonnes for December, and Germany has already submitted a request for the first quarter," Transneft head Nikolay Tokarev said on Tuesday. Transneft, which handles more than 80% of total oil produced in Russia, has cranked up oil exports by a fifth this year, he added. Tokarev also said that oil supplies via the southern spur of Druzhba, which transports oil through Ukraine to Slovakia and the Czech Republic, will remain unchanged next year thanks to a ssanctions exception. Exports via the far eastern port of Kozmino are expected to total 42 million tonnes this year, exceeding usual annual capacity of 30 million tonnes, Tokarev said.

☆ Russia's Urals oil averaged $57.49/bbl in past month, below price cap
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The Urals price was sharply lower than $80 per barrel for the international Brent benchmark . According to Reuters data, the Urals price for delivery from the Black Sea port of Novorossiisk on a FOB basis is currently $48.69 per barrel. Market sources said Urals crude has been sold at deeper discounts this month following a European ban on Russian oil imports, and dominant buyer India has bought barrels at well below the West's $60 price cap. Since Russia sent its troops into Ukraine in February, India has become the main outlet for seaborne cargoes of Urals crude. The spread, or difference, between Urals and dated Brent - the price of physical, light North Sea crude oil, - has risen sharply from early February, when it stood at around minus $1.

☆ Oil tankers queuing to transit Turkish straits face more delays - sources
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Companies Ingosstrakh SPAO FollowISTANBUL, Dec 6 (Reuters) - At least 20 oil tankers queuing off Turkey to cross from Russia's Black Sea ports to the Mediterranean face more delays as operators race to adhere to new Turkish insurance rules added ahead of a G7 price cap on Russian oil, industry sources said. The new rule was announced before a $60 per barrel price cap was imposed on Russian seaborne crude this week, Western insurers are required to retain proof that Russian oil covered is sold at or below that price. Millions of barrels of oil per day move south from Russian ports through Turkey's Bosphorus and Dardanelles straits into the Mediterranean. Tribeca shipping agency said nine oil tankers were waiting to transit the Dardanelles southbound on Tuesday. The only tanker passing the straits after the deadline, Vladimir Tikhonov, was insured by Russia's Ingosstrakh (INGSI.MM), the source added.

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