North Asia

On Monday, the Russian rouble fell against the U.S. Dollar and the Chinese yuan as the corporate sales of foreign currencies, which had supported the rouble over the past few weeks, decreased. The rouble fell more than 0.4% against the dollar at 1050 GMT and was down 0.2% against the yuan at 1140 on the Moscow Stock Exchange. The traders believe that the currency sales of Russia's two major oil companies, Rosneft & Lukoil - both sanctioned in the U.S. - have supported the rouble. The traders did, however, note the recent irregularity of corporate forex sales. The U.S. has...

A report released by OPEC on Wednesday showed that the world oil supply will match demand in 2020, reflecting the production increase of OPEC+. This is a shift from earlier predictions of a 2026 supply deficit. OPEC+ - which includes the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), Russia, and other allies - has increased its production targets by approximately 2.9 million barrels a day - or about 2.7% of the global supply – since April. The company plans to stop production increases in the first quarter 2026, amid predictions that there will be an oversupply. In a report released...

The chairman of Bulgaria's state reserves agency announced on Tuesday that the country has only one month's worth of gasoline left, as it prepares for the impending U.S. sanction against Russia's Lukoil. Lukoil owns Bulgaria's biggest oil refinery, and the majority of its storage and pipeline infrastructure. Last month, the U.S., Britain, and France imposed sanctions against Lukoil, and Rosneft - Russia's largest oil companies - over Moscow's conflict in Ukraine. This threatened their operations, which still stretch across Europe. The U.S. sanction, scheduled to start on November 21, has raised concerns over fuel supplies in Bulgaria ahead of winter,...

The Gulf's major stock exchanges rose early on Tuesday. This was aided in part by the rising expectations of a Federal Reserve rate cut in December and signs that the U.S. shutdown may be nearing its end. The U.S. economy lost jobs last week. Retail and government sectors were the main culprits. A survey released on Friday showed that the U.S. consumer's sentiment had fallen to its lowest level in 3-1/2 years at the beginning of November, due to concerns about the effects the shutdown would have on the economy. The shutdown has delayed important economic metrics including the non-farm...

Sources in the trade said that two Indian state refiners purchased 5,000,000 barrels of crude from spot markets through tenders, as they continue their search for alternatives to Russian supplies. Hindustan Petroleum Corp. has purchased 2 million barrels of each U.S. West Texas Intermediate and Abu Dhabi Murban crudes for arrival in January, according to reports. Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd purchased one million barrels Basra Medium Crude for delivery between January 1-7, according to the company. It was not immediately clear who the sellers were or what their prices were. Indian refiners have been looking for alternatives since U.S....

A U.S. official familiar with the matter said on Friday that the United States supports the European Union in using frozen Russian assets to help Ukraine and bring an end to the war with Russia. The European Commission, as the West seeks a way to increase pressure on Moscow has proposed a plan that would allow EU governments to use up 185 billion euro ($217 billion), which is the majority of the 210 million euros of Russian sovereign assets frozen in Europe. Washington "absolutely support (the EU)" and the measures they are taking to be able to use those assets...

The Kremlin stated on Friday that the international interests of Russian oil giant Lukoil should be respected, after Swiss commodity traders Gunvor announced they had withdrawn their proposal to purchase Lukoil’s foreign assets. Gunvor made its move after the U.S. Treasury labeled it Russia's puppet and indicated that Washington opposes the deal. When asked about the latest development, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that it was a commercial matter, and that it related to illegal U.S. Sanctions on Moscow. However, it was vital that Lukoil’s interests be protected. Peskov said: "We are of the opinion that any legitimate interest of...

According to documents and shipping data from the state-owned firm PDVSA, Venezuelan oil exports fell 26% in October to 808,000 barrels a day as its stocks decreased and it imported fewer volumes of diluents for exportable crude grades. Exports from the OPEC nation reached a 5-year high in Septembre, after being boosted in part by a stable crude oil production of around 1.1m bpd. Also, robust imports of naphtha and light crude - mainly from Russia – earlier in the year were made to reduce its heavy oil output. The data and documents revealed that imports dropped to 41,000 bpd...

Authorities in the region said that a drone attack from Ukraine caused damage and fire to the Black Sea port of Tuapse. The facility is home to an important Russian oil terminal. The administration of the Krasnodar Region, where Tuapse lies, announced on Telegram that "An attack from UAVs (unmanned aircraft vehicles) has been repelled." "Falling drones caused damage to the port infrastructure and ignited a fire." No reports have been made of any casualties. The damage to port infrastructure is not immediately apparent. The port houses the Tuapse Oil Terminal and the Rosneft controlled Tuapse Oil Refinery. Both have...

Lukoil announced on Thursday that it accepted an offer by global commodity trader Gunvor for its foreign assets. Russia's second largest oil company has been seeking to sell these assets after Washington imposed sanctions last week. The planned asset sales are the most significant action taken by a Russian firm in response to the Western sanctions over the conflict in Ukraine. This war began when Russia invaded its neighbor on a full scale back in 2022. Lukoil announced in a press release that it had accepted Gunvor's offer to sell Lukoil International GmbH which controls foreign assets of the oil...

Orban's chief said that the Hungarian prime minister will meet Donald Trump in Washington on November 7, where he hopes to discuss a way forward for a U.S. -Russia summit and to seek an exemption from U.S. sanctions on energy. Gergely Gulyas said at a press conference that the two leaders will also sign agreements of co-operation on the fields energy, defence, economy, and finance. He said that "some of these have been already negotiated while in other cases, discussions are still underway." Orban said previously that he wanted to sign a wide-ranging economic agreement with Washington in order to...

The only refinery in Serbia will only continue to operate until November 25, as new crude oil deliveries have been stopped due to U.S. sanction against the Russian-owned plant operator NIS. This was reported by Tanjug News Agency on Wednesday, citing the energy minister. NIS, of which Gazprom, Gazprom and the Serbian Government each own 44.9%, operates the only refinery in Serbia, located in Pancevo. The Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury placed initial sanctions on Russia's petroleum sector on 10 January and gave Gazprom a 45-day deadline to sell its NIS holdings. The sanctions had been...

The foreign assets of Russian oil giant Lukoil, which are located in Egypt and Kazakhstan, are attracting bidders. Time is running out for the deals to be completed before U.S. sanctions can be enforced. As part of their efforts to get the Kremlin into peace talks on Ukraine, the U.S. has imposed sanctions on Lukoil. They have already blocked Lukoil’s attempts to sell foreign assets before the deadline of November 21, sanctions. Lukoil has also been affected by the sanctions in Iraq, Finland at pump stations and Bulgaria in a refinery. Governments and partners want to buy its foreign assets...

The Energy Minister Bogdan Bogdan Ivan stated on Tuesday that Romania must control the Romanian subsidiary of Russian Lukoil in order to protect jobs, enforce international sanctions, and ensure a stable national energy system. Lukoil operates 320 petrol stations across Romania, is the third-largest refinery in the country and has offshore exploration rights for a part of the Black Sea. Ivan didn't elaborate on which assets or how the state should take control. The U.S. imposed sanctions on Lukoil and Rosneft in connection with the war that has raged for more than three-and-a-half years in Ukraine. These sanctions will take...

Three trade sources reported on Monday that Indian refiner HPCL Mittal Energy Ltd issued a very rare spot tender for two cargoes each of naphtha to be delivered in November after it was unable to obtain supplies from Russia of this petrochemical feedstock. One source said that the tender was extended to November 12th. Two of the sources said that HMEL wants naphtha to have a minimum paraffin content of 60% and a maximum sulphur level of 500 ppm, for delivery in Mundra port on November 9-12 or November 13-18. Part of the naphtha required for the cracker is met...

The top official of the U.S. Treasury Department said that the United States is looking to seize a "moment in Lebanon" to cut off Iranian funding for Hezbollah, and to press the group into disarming. John Hurley said in a late-Friday interview that Iran managed to send about $1 billion this year to Hezbollah despite the Western sanctions which have ravaged its economy. The U.S. is waging a campaign of "maximum pressuring" on Tehran to reduce its uranium-enrichment program and regional influence. This includes in Lebanon, where the Iran-backed Hezbollah has also been weakened since Israel destroyed its military strength...

Helsingin Sanomat, citing Teboil's spokesperson, reported Friday that the Finnish petrol station chain Teboil is out of fuel due to U.S. sanctions imposed on its parent company. Donald Trump, the U.S. president, announced on October 22 that Rosneft (Russia's oil company) and Lukoil would be subject to sanctions as a result of a policy shift regarding Moscow's conflict in Ukraine. He also said that companies who do business with these two groups may face sanctions. The U.S. Treasury referred to Gunvor as Russia's "puppet", and indicated that Washington was against the deal. On November 6, a deal between Gunvor, a...

Angelina Jolie, the Hollywood actress, visited one of Ukraine’s most dangerous frontline towns and an adjacent region. She met with medical staff, volunteers, and civilians who are constantly attacked by Russian troops. The Legacy of War Foundation released a statement on Thursday that praised Jolie's visit to Kherson, a city near Mykolaiv. Jolie stated that "the people of Mykolaiv & Kherson face dangers every day but refuse to surrender." In photos, Jolie was wearing a flak-jacket in the basement and meeting with children in an unlit room. The group claimed that she visited medical and educational institutions that were relocated...

The CEO of Gunvor Group said that Western sanctions against Russia and Iran have led to record oil storage onboard ships, which prevents a global supply glut. The European Union (EU), United Kingdom (UK) and the United States (US) have all imposed sanctions on Russia for its involvement in the war in Ukraine. Last month, the US embargo targeted Russia's top two oil producers, Rosneft & Lukoil. Torbjorn Tornqvist of the Swiss commodities trader Gunvor Group told the ADIPEC conference in Abu Dhabi that the surplus oil supply had cushioned the effect of the trade disruptions due to the sanctions....

According to trade sources, India's Russian crude oil imports between the months of April and September decreased by 8.4% compared to the previous year, due to tighter supply and lower discounts. Refiners are also seeking oil from the Middle East, and even the United States. Washington has also doubled the tariffs on Indian products to pressure South Asia to reduce its Russian oil imports. White House trade advisor Peter Navarro said India's purchases were funding Moscow's conflict in Ukraine. Shipping data from sources in the trade show that a refiner in India imported 1,75 million barrels of Russian oil per...

Taiwan's Economy Minister said on Wednesday, that private refiners would be willing to stop purchasing Russian naphtha if the EU asked them. This comes after a group non-governmental organizations criticized the island's continuing business with Russia. Taiwan, along with the United States, major Western allies, and other countries, put broad sanctions against Russia in 2022 after its invasion of Ukraine, but it did not ban explicitly imports, which are a major source of hard currency for Russia. A group of NGOs, including the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air(CREA), criticised Taiwan for its continued imports Russian naphtha last...

Two industry sources reported on Monday that one of Russia's biggest oil refineries in the town of Kirishi (northwest) had halted an important processing unit after a Ukrainian drone attacked over the weekend. Ukraine intensified its attacks on Russia's infrastructure to damage Moscow's war effort, as the talks to end the conflict have stagnated. Russian officials have said Surgutneftegaz's Kirishinefteorgsintez plant, one of Russia's top two refineries, was among the targets attacked by Ukrainian drones last Sunday. Alexander Drozdenko is the Governor of Leningrad Region. He said that three drones had been destroyed in the Kirishi region and that a...

Three people with knowledge of the situation said that Russian-backed Indian refiner Nayara Energy was seeking Indian government assistance to obtain equipment and materials for maintenance, as European Union sanctions are making it difficult to procure key items. Sources said that the private refiner had approached the Centre for High Technology (a advisory body within the Indian oil ministry) to seek assistance in locating specialised equipment, catalysers, and other raw material. Nayara, and the Centre for High Technology, did not respond immediately to comments. Sources said that Nayara, which is majority owned by Russian companies, including Rosneft oil giant, operates...

Enkorr, a Ukrainian energy consultancy, announced on Monday that Ukraine would restrict the importation of diesel fuel from India, a country which buys a large portion of its crude oils from Russia. A-95 said in a report earlier this month, that traders were forced to import diesel fuel from India due to the loss of an important Ukrainian oil refinery during this summer. Even the Ukrainian Defence Ministry has purchased some Indian fuel because it meets post-Soviet standard. Drones and missiles have been used by Russia to attack Ukrainian refineries of oil and fuel and their storage facilities. Enkorr reports...