North Asia

Three sources familiar with this matter have confirmed that the Ust-Luga Port has resumed oil exports, despite ongoing drone strikes. LSEG data?showed. According to LSEG and sources, the vessel 'Jewel' left Ust-Luga with 700,000 barrels on board. Loadings had been halted for almost two weeks. The Baltic port is capable of loading up to 700,000 barrels a day. Ust-Luga oil loadings were halted on 25 March after a heavy?drone attack from Ukraine?damaged the port. The attacks have continued during the suspension. Sources said that the Jewel began loading oil at the weekend, but it did not depart immediately due to...

Two sources with knowledge of the situation said that the?crude oil exports from the?Russian Sheskharis terminal in the Black Sea Port of Novorossiysk had been suspended following a massive drone strike and an fire. The Black Sea's main oil outlet is the terminal that?loads approximately 700,000 barrels of crude per day. The suspension of the terminal will increase the strain on Russian infrastructure that has been repeatedly targeted. Sources in the industry say that Russia's main Baltic Ust-Luga Port's oil 'exports' have been suspended since last Monday 'after heavy drone attacks 'and fires. Sources say that Russia is likely to...

According to the registry of authorized companies, Russia's largest producer of liquefied gas, Novatek, has set up a firm to build its own vessels and floating facilities. This is due to a shortage in gas tankers caused by sanctions. Ilya Luschchikov, the?head of Novatek’s Murmansk LNG Project, is responsible for the?new company, Severny Inzhiniring or?Northern Engineering. According to the registry, it was established on March 25. Novatek didn't?reply a?"request for comments. The Western sanctions that were imposed on Russia in 2022 severely limited the number of tankers capable of transporting LNG cargoes. Zvezda is Russia's leading shipbuilder. They specialize in...

According to industry sources, Russia's Baltic oil hubs in Ust-Luga, and Primorsk, are unable to process shipments after a series Ukrainian drone attacks. This has prompted the country's refineries?to 'find alternative routes' for 'export'. At least five attacks on Ust-Luga occurred in a span of 10 days, causing damage to the port infrastructure. Sources claim that the restrictions on exports, as well as disruptions in large refineries, could lead to a drop in oil production in Russia. Since March 22, traders said that refineries have been unable?to deliver diesel fuel for export to Primorsk,?leaving them without their most viable export...

Data from market sources and LSEG revealed that Russia's seaborne gasoil and diesel exports dropped 3% between February and?March to 3.06 million metric tons, as drone attacks disrupted fuel loads at key ports. Sources said that the ultra-low-sulphur Diesel shipments from Primorsk in the Baltic, Russia's largest outlet for diesel exports fell to 1.713 millions tons, down 2.6% since February. Last week, Ukrainian drones repeatedly attacked the Russian Baltic ports Primorsk & Ust-Luga. Following drone attacks, the two ports halted oil and fuel loadings on March 22. The next day, a drone attack caused a fire to break out at...

An industry source said on Wednesday that oil production in Kazakhstan increased by?2% from February as output ramped-up at the giant 'Tengiz' field. Oilfields in the Caspian Sea's northeastern corner have been pumping at lower levels since January 18th, when fires broke out at power stations. This has increased uncertainty on global markets that are battling a lack of oil due to the?U.S. and Israel war against Iran. The source stated that the field produced an average of 700,000 barrels per day in March. This is a 19% increase from February. According to a source it peaked at 978,000 barrels...

Shipping data revealed that a Russian-flagged oil tanker with 700,000 barrels of crude oil docked at Cuba's Matanzas Oil Terminal?on Tuesday. This was the first significant oil shipment to the island after President Donald Trump's Administration cut off the fuel supply. Under U.S. sanction, the Anatoly Kodkin vessel entered Cuban waters late Sunday, not far from Guantanamo's U.S. Navy Base. This was despite U.S. restrictions imposed on oil supplies from Russia to Cuba. The U.S. claimed that it allowed the tanker's crude oil delivery for humanitarian reasons. LSEG data shows that the?Aframax fuel tanker entered Cuba’s largest fuel storage area...

These are the top stories from the business pages of the New York Times. These'stories' have not been verified and we cannot vouch for the accuracy of these stories. In an effort to ease the de facto blockade Washington imposed on Cuba, the United States has allowed a Russian oil tanker to arrive in Cuba. Jonathan Greenberger is the next global editor-in-chief of Politico. Tom Homan, Trump's top border official, said that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents may remain at U.S. Airports even after they are paid again. This is because the shutdown of Homeland Security has caused a...

Jean-Noel Barrot, France's Foreign Minister, said Friday that the U.S. Secretary of State Marco?Rubio?suggested Washington's goal was to destroy Iran’s ballistic capability and that Paris had the same objective of restoring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. Barrot, speaking on the sidelines of the G7 in France, said: "I will not speak for Marco Rubio, but I will happily refer to his 'public statements,' which correspond to our conversations today about the stated U.S. objectives. These include the neutralization Iran's missile capabilities. Barrot responded that France shares the same goals as the U.S. regarding the Hormuz region and...

Two 'industry' sources said that Russian oil producers warned buyers on Friday they could declare force majeure over supplies from major Baltic Sea ports, as Ukraine continues to attack Russian energy infrastructure. The Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy said this week that Kyiv uses long-range attacks to maintain pressure on Russia, after international sanctions against Moscow were eased because of global supply disruptions caused by the Iran War. Sources said that Ukrainian drones targeted the port of Ust-Luga on Friday, where an ongoing fire from a strike made Wednesday still burned. The raids have halted oil loadings in the port since...

Three market sources have confirmed that Russian energy company Novatek suspended 'gas condensate export loadings and naphtha processing at its Ust-Luga facility following drone attacks which caused a fire at the facility. Novatek's cuts to naphtha exports will have an impact on Asian markets. They already experienced a feedstock shortage last March when the U.S./Iran conflict disrupted Middle East fuel shipments. These attacks were one of the most intense drone strikes in Russia's western energy corridor. The Baltic ports Primorsk, Ust-Luga, and the surrounding area were repeatedly targeted by drone strikes. Explosions tore through terminal infrastructure and ignited storage tanks,...

The European powers accused Russia on Thursday of assisting Iran in targeting U.S. troops in the Middle East War and said that they would bring the matter up with the U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio during a G7 meeting of 'foreign' ministers in France. Rubio will attend the second day gathering of Western Democracies ministers. This is taking place in the midst of wars with Iran and Ukraine, uncertainty over the economy and growing unease about the unpredictable U.S. Foreign Policy under Donald Trump. Two Western security officials and a regional official near Tehran have confirmed that Russia provided...

For now, the war that shut down the Strait of Hormuz is over. Tehran's insistence on acting as the toll booth keeper at this world-critical oil chokepoint may leave energy markets exposed and lead to higher prices for many years. According to U.S. president Donald Trump, the U.S., Iran and Pakistan agreed on Tuesday to a ceasefire for two weeks, mediated by Pakistan. Tehran must halt its blockade against oil and gas traffic in the Strait. According to an Iranian official, the waterway through which a fifth (21 miles) of the world's oil and natural gas passed before the U.S./Israeli...

Officials from Ukraine said that Russian drones destroyed a substation in the southern Odesa region of Ukraine on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Moscow's forces repeatedly attacked areas further east, killing one person. Oleh Kiper, regional governor of Odesa region, said that emergency services were on the scene and there had been no reported injuries. DTEK is a large energy company. It said that?one of their substations was damaged. Crews were waiting for word to start repairs. DTEK stated that the area had been under Russian attack "almost around the clock". Ukraine's energy infrastructure has been attacked for months. In the four-year conflict,...

Russian drones destroyed a power station in Ukraine's southern Odesa region, officials said. Meanwhile, Moscow's forces attacked areas further east repeatedly, killing one person and injuring eight others. Oleh Kiper said in Telegram that emergency services were still at the scene of the attack. He stated that no injuries were reported. DTEK is a large private energy company. One of its substations was damaged. Crews waited for word to start repairs. DTEK claimed that the area had been under Russian attacks "almost around the clock". Ukraine has been attacked by the Russian military for several months. The Black Sea port...

Russia claimed on Wednesday that certain political forces in the European Union are opposed to the reelection bid for?Hungarian Premier Viktor Orban and are trying to assist?his opponents. The Kremlin intervened a day after U.S. vice president JD Vance accused the EU in Budapest of "disgraceful interference" in the April 12, election. Many opinion polls indicate that this could put an end to Orban’s 16-year hold on power. When asked about the leaked transcript of a conversation between Orban and Russian president Vladimir Putin, Dmitry Peskov, Kremlin spokesperson, said: "Many forces, both in Europe and in Brussels, do not want...

In recent weeks, Ukraine has intensified its attacks on Russian energy installations as peace talks failed to make progress. Here is a brief summary of the recent attacks and their impact. NORSI NORSI is Russia's fourth largest oil refinery and owned by Lukoil. It suspended operations after a drone attack in Ukraine on April 5, according to two industry sources. NORSI is Russia's second-largest gasoline producer. It can process up to 16 million metric tons of oil each year or 320,000 barrels of fuel per day. Sources say that KIRISHI Russia’s?Kirishi refinery could partially restart in a month after processing...

Ukraine's regional development ministry reported on Telegram that a 'Russian drone attack' overnight on Ukraine's largest Danube River port, Izmail, had damaged a port facility. The ministry stated that "the enemy continues to target port infrastructure and logistics." The 'Telegram Post' reported that fires had broken out in warehouses, but were put out by emergency services. No one was injured. Izmail is located on the Danube, at the southernmost?tip? of Ukraine. It faces the territory of Romania on the other river bank. It is a key and often-hit logistical node in wartime Ukraine. In 2022, after Russia blocked Ukraine's Black...

Two industry sources reported on Monday that a fire was started overnight at the Sheskharis Oil Terminal of 'Russia's Black Sea Port - Novorossiysk, following an attack by a Ukrainian drone. Ukraine intensified its aerial attacks against?Russian energy infrastructure including ports in an effort to reduce Moscow?s revenue from the sale of oil, which is the lifeblood for Russia?s economy. According to?sources, the blaze consumed?the main pier of Russia's oil pipe monopoly Transneft close to the berths 1a, 1b and 2. According to sources, Berth 1 can'service tankers up to a deadweight of 250,000 metric tons. While berth 2, 'can...

The Kremlin said on Monday that although there was not conclusive proof, it was "highly probable" that evidence would be found that 'Ukraine planted explosives near a pipeline in Serbia that carries Russian gas into Hungary. Viktor Orban, the Hungarian prime minister who is facing a tough reelection campaign on Sunday, convened a?emergency defense council' on Sunday following explosives found near the TurkStream pipeline in Serbia. Orban claimed that Ukraine has been trying to cut Europe off from Russian oil for years, but he did not directly blame Kyiv. Ukraine's Foreign Ministry rejected any attempt to?link it with the?explosive. "The...

The Russian military announced early Monday morning that its air defence units had shot down 148 Ukrainian drones in a period of three hours. Officials also said that emergency crews were working to restore power to nearly half a million households who suffered outages due air attacks. A drone struck an apartment in the Russian Black Sea port city of Novorossiysk on Sunday evening. The drone also killed a volunteer for civil defence in Russia's border area of Belgorod. According to a?statement from the Russian Defence Ministry, air defence units intercepted between 8 and 11 pm 148 'drones', mainly in...

Leaders from Serbia and Hungary said that explosives of "devastating power" were discovered near the Turkstream pipeline in Serbia, which carries Russian gas to Hungary. Hungarian Prime Minster Viktor Orban claimed that Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic had told him explosives were found near the pipeline transporting Russian gas from the Balkans into Central and Eastern Europe. Vucic, an ally close to Orban, wrote on Instagram that "our units found explosives of devastating power." "I told Orban, the?PM that we would keep you updated on this investigation." Orban, after a phone call with Vucic on Sunday, announced in a post on...

A Ukrainian military attack on Friday cut off power to Russian-held areas of the Zaporizhzhia region. Emergency crews are working to restore it. There are power outages at some locations in the southern part Zaporizhzhia Region. Yevgeny Belitsky, Russia's appointed governor of Russian controlled areas in?the region said on Telegram that repair work was underway to restore the power. The outages are due to an enemy attack on the energy infrastructure of the?region. Ukrainian media outlets posted video clips showing what they claimed was an attack on an underground substation in Melitopol. The footage showed a large fireball rising over...

Three industry sources told Reuters that a Russian oil production cut is imminent due to Ukraine's strike on pipelines, port infrastructure and refineries, which has reduced export capacity by a million barrels / day or 5% of the total, according to their report. The conflict in the Middle East has already caused unprecedented disruptions in oil supply. A reduction in output from Russia, the second largest exporter in the world, will add to this. Ukraine intensified its attacks over the past month on Russia's oil-export infrastructure. Ukraine's drone attacks are the most intense of its four-year-long war. They target the...