MOSCOW: Russian fuel oil exports fell 21.9 percent in February from January, while gasoline and gas oil export supplies were down 16.5 percent and 5.3 percent, respectively, Energy Ministry data and Reuters' calculations showed.
Domestic supplies of fuel oil rose 29.8 percent, local shipments of gasoline and gas oil increased by 13.3 percent and 12.8 percent, respectively.
Oil refinery runs fell 1.0 percent or 57,015 barrels per day (bpd).
February fuel oil exports shipments fell sharply due to lower output, according to industry sources.
Also, fuel oil demand among Russian utilities increased in January and February due to cold weather and lower prices, making it more attractive than natural gas, which they receive predominantly under long-term contracts at a fixed price.
Lukoil increased fuel oil domestic shipments from its refineries in February by 78.5 percent. Rosneft raised its shipments by 93.8 percent and Bashneft raised its by 47.5 percent.
Lukoil began filling a pipeline destined for its export terminal in the Baltic Sea port of Vysotsk with ultra-low sulphur diesel (ULSD) in February.
March supplies of ULSD from Vysotsk will total 350,000 tonnes, of which 100,000 tonnes will be shipped via the Sever (North) trunk, industry sources said.
The private Antipinsky refinery started vacuum gasoil exports in March instead of straight-run fuel oil after it launched a vacuum unit.
The refinery plans to make up to 1.7 million tonnes of vacuum gasoil a year and reduce fuel oil output to 150,000 tonnes a month from 350,000 tonnes currently.
YEAR ON YEAR
Year on year, Russia's February gasoline output dipped by 4.2 percent, while gasoil and fuel oil production fell by 7.1 percent and 25.6 percent, respectively.
Export supplies of gasoline and gas oil were down by 11.7 and 17.7 percent, respectively, while fuel oil export shipments fell by 46.5 percent on a yearly basis.
Domestic supplies of gasoline rose in February by 2.6 percent from the same month year ago, while gas oil and fuel oil local supplies were up by 17.4 percent and 43.6 percent, respectively.
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