Domestic Demand Helps Russian Oil Production To Rebound

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Commodity

Oil

Writer

IPG Staff2

Oil · 02 July, 2022

Domestic Demand Helps Russian Oil Production To Rebound

The start of the summer driving season and favorable economics for Russian refiners have helped Russia’s oil production to rebound from the lows in April and May, according to government data and analysts cited by Bloomberg.

Commodity

Oil

Writer

IPG Staff2

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Russia’s oil production rose in June and is
approaching the levels last seen in February, just before the Russian invasion
of Ukraine. Most of the rebound is due to higher intake from domestic refiners,
which have increased processing rates after slashing them in April, when the
U.S. banned imports of all Russian energy products and buyers in the West started
shunning purchases of Russian crude oil and refined petroleum products.

In the first two weeks of June, crude processing rates
at Russian refineries bounced back to 5.2 million barrels per day (bpd), the
highest processing levels since March, per Russia’s Energy Ministry data seen
by Bloomberg.

Analysts believe the processing rates could continue
to rise through the summer, thanks to government support for refiners and
favorable refining economics, as the price of the Russian flagship grade,
Urals, is more than $30 per barrel lower than Brent.

Russia’s crude and condensate production increased in June by 5% to an
average of 10.7 million bpd, Russian daily Kommersant reported earlier this
week, quoting sources familiar with the production numbers. In June, 
Russia’s oil exports dropped by 3.3%, while domestic
refining demand is rising seasonally, according to Kommersant’s sources.

 

Russian oil production will continue to recover in the
summer, Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said on Thursday, after
the OPEC+ meeting, which rubberstamped a monthly 648,000 bpd increase for
August.

“We believe that we will ensure recovery in the summer
period; the role of Russia in achieving a balance of supply and demand will be
a key one,” Novak said as quoted by the website of the Russian government.


By Charles Kennedy / Jul 01, 2022, 11:30 AM