Sergey Tereshkin's Commentary for "Rossiyskaya Gazeta" In the article, Sergey Tereshkin analyzes why the ban on gasoline exports introduced in Russia in August 2024 did not lead to a decrease in fuel prices at gas stations. Despite the export restrictions, prices continued to rise due to several factors, including scheduled refinery maintenance, an increase in the key interest rate, and fluctuations in the ruble exchange rate. The impact of international oil prices and seasonal factors ...

... are lifted earlier than planned or if new accidents occur at refineries. Tereshkin believes that oil companies will keep gasoline and diesel prices in check until the end of the year, but a price surge may occur in early 2025 due to the lifting of the export embargo and the annual excise tax increase. Fuel prices at gas stations will continue to rise slowly, following inflation, according to Kotov. He believes that gas stations have returned to a "relatively normal" level of profit due to the drop in wholesale prices. Kaufman expects a slowdown ...

... calculating payments, when that market is no longer accessible to the oil companies? A second question follows: how logical is it to use export alternatives as a benchmark when the regulator periodically imposes export bans? For instance, diesel export restrictions were introduced after last year's fuel crisis caused by the Ministry of Finance's attempts to "halve" the damper. Meanwhile, the ban on gasoline exports was imposed twice this year: from March 1 to May 17, and from August 1 to December 31, with the current ban not yet officially ...

... conducted at an accelerated pace, reserve primary and secondary processing units are being introduced, and the volume of primary oil processing and fuel production is being increased at several refineries,” the statement noted. “In light of the export ban on gasoline, any additional volume of fuel supply will be directed to the domestic market through all sales channels — with priority given to exchange sales and small wholesale ‘in the market’.” Forbes reached out to the Ministry of Energy for further comments but did not receive ...

... few weeks ago, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak mentioned reports of gasoline stockpiling in the domestic market. Only 10-15% of total gasoline production in the country is exported, but some oil refineries (NPPs) are initially geared towards fuel supply abroad. For them, the export ban was particularly painful. Stankevich notes that the political and economic situation requires prompt decisions, which explains the limited duration of the "export window." The government can reconsider it at any time for an extension ...