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September Urals oil prices climb up $7-8/ barrel above cost cap, calculations show

Prices for September Urals crude oil firmed to $67$ 68 per barrel on a freeonboard basis in Russian Baltic and Black Sea ports, $78 per barrel above the $60perbarrel western price cap, Reuters computations based on traders' data showed on Tuesday.

The U.S., other Group of Seven countries and Australia imposed the cap last year, looking for to reduce Russia's earnings from seaborne oil exports as part of sanctions.

Under the cap's terms, suppliers of Russian oil are just able to use western services such as shipping and insurance coverage when Russian crude trades listed below $60 per barrel.

Reuters Urals oil cost calculations are based on the grade's market value in Indian ports on a delivered-ex-ship basis, transportation costs and the Brent benchmark.

Discount rates for Urals oil loading in September were at $3.30 per barrel to Brent usually, slightly up from recent rate levels for the grade, two traders stated.

Freight rates remained stable at $4.8 million for a tanker one-way voyage from Russian Baltic ports to India, traders stated.

Determined Urals oil costs have primarily stayed above the price-cap limitation since early this year, Reuters data shows. On the other hand, the price for each specific Urals freight is agreed between a seller and a buyer and various cost solutions can be used, traders stated, which make it impossible to compute the rate for a particular cargo.

Urals discounts in Indian ports, which have ended up being the primary market for Russian Urals oil seaborne freights since 2023, stayed steady in recent months, moving between $3 and $4 per barrel.

Traders said the rate of Urals oil has found a balanced level, as sellers are not prepared to widen the discount rate, while purchasers do not wish to pay more.

The company Brent cost is also a reason Urals oil values have stayed above the $60-per-barrel limit, as the Russian grade cost is connected to Brent.

Brent crude futures were down 47 cents, or 0.58% at $80.96 a barrel by 1311 GMT.

(source: Reuters)