Russia Mulls Changes for Oil Export Programs

摘要

Russian national oil pipeline monopoly Transneft has failed to issue an export loading schedule for the Baltic Sea port of Primorsk two months in advance rather than the usual onemonth practice. The key intrigue was whether Transneft would be able to start issuing two-month programs under an agreement with the St. Petersburg Mercantile Exchange (Spimex) as part of a move to turn Russia’s Urals export blend into a new benchmark. Traders were waiting for the new format of Primorsk programs, but industry players say the news is still neutral for the market.