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Russian ESPO oil premiums struck 2-year highs in China on robust winter season demand

(This material was partly produced in Russia where the law restricts protection of Russian military operations in Ukraine.). Spot premiums for Russia's Far East ESPO Blend petroleum. deliveries to China rose to their highest given that the Ukraine war. broke out in 2022 on robust winter season need and as prices for. rival grades from Iran firmed, three trade sources said on. Tuesday.

ESPO Blend cargoes << ESPO-DUB > loading in January traded at. premiums of about $1.30 to $1.50 per barrel against ICE Brent on. provided ex-ship (DES) China basis, the sources informed Reuters,. rising from premiums of $1 per barrel for freights loading in. November and December.

It is the highest premium level for ESPO Blend to ICE Brent. at Chinese ports on DES basis considering that 2022, when prices of Russian. oil collapsed due to western sanctions on Moscow over the war in. Ukraine, Reuters data revealed.

Demand for ESPO Blend firmed amid fresh buying from Chinese. independent refiners, called teapots, which got a brand-new. batch of import quotas for use by the end of 2024.

China has provided an additional petroleum import quota of at. least 5.84 million metric lots (116,800 barrels daily) to. independent refiners.

ESPO is likewise favoured by Chinese refiners in the cold months. as it produces winter-grade diesel used for transport,. particularly in cold regions like northern China, a trader at an. independent refiner said.

The sources declined to be called as they were not authorised. to talk to the media.

Rising costs for Iranian oil, of which Chinese independent. refiners are the most significant buyer, fuelled premiums for ESPO Blend. also, traders stated.

ESPO prices were also supported by Chinese oil majors'. purchases for stockpiling, leaving fewer offered freights in. the market, Vortexa experts stated in a current report.

Beijing asked state oil business this year to include about 60. million barrels of crude to the country's emergency stockpiles. to boost supply security.

The tightness of Russian and Iranian products will last for. months, according to Vortexa analysts.

(source: Reuters)