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October Russian Urals oil rates trades $5/bbl above cost cap as Brent rallies, estimations show

Prices of October Urals crude oil have risen back above $65 a barrel at Russian Baltic and Black Sea ports, or $5 higher than the cost cap set by Western countries, Reuters calculations showed on Friday, as the conflict in the Middle East pushed up oil costs.

Oil rates surged on Thursday as concerns installed that a. broadening local conflict in the Middle East could interfere with. international unrefined flows. Brent crude futures were up again on. Friday, by 55 cents, or 0.7%, at $78.17 a barrel, since 0831. GMT.

Greater Urals prices will improve Russia's oil earnings.

A widening of discount rates at Indian ports and increasing freight. rates limited the degree of rate increases in Urals crude, although. not by much in the meantime, traders stated.

Urals oil rates have primarily remained above the $60 cost. cap given that early this year and previously topped $65 a barrel in. late August, Reuters computations based upon traders' data shows.

In late 2022 the Group of 7 nations - the United. States, Canada, Britain, Italy, France, Germany and Japan -. together with the European Union and Australia imposed a cap of. $ 60-per-barrel on the sale of Russian oil on a free-on-board. basis, seeking to lower Russia's income from seaborne oil. exports as part of sanctions.

India, the primary buyer of Russian oil delivered by means of sea, did. not sign up with Western sanctions on Russia, however abides by. international sanctions policies including the cost cap.

INCREASING FREIGHT RATES

The cost of Urals oil briefly sank listed below the cost cap in. September as Brent fell however the benchmark cost has actually rebounded. recently as the Middle East dispute intensified.

Under the Western price cap terms, providers of Russian oil. are just able to use Western services such as shipping and. insurance coverage if Russian unrefined trades below $60 per barrel.

Nevertheless, the price for each specific Urals cargo is agreed. between a seller and a buyer and numerous price formulas can be. used, traders said, making it impossible to assess the price for. a particular cargo and whether it goes beyond the price cap.

Reuters calculations of the Urals oil price are based on the. grade's market value at Indian ports on a delivered-ex-ship. basis, transport expenses and the Brent criteria.

Discount rates for Urals oil loading in October were at. $ 3.50-3.80 per barrel to Brent on average, somewhat larger. compared to current levels of $3.30 for September cargoes of the. grade, four traders said.

Freight rates firmed to about $5.5 million for a tanker's. one-way voyage from Russian Baltic ports to India from below. $ 4.8 million in September, two of the traders said. The rise in. freight rates was because of greater loadings from Russian ports and. minimal accessibility of vessels ahead of the upcoming winter. season, they added.

(source: Reuters)