Who is still buying Russian crude oil

Representative image (Source: Reuters)

Australia, Britain, Canada and the United States have imposed outright bans on Russian oil purchases, and the European Union plans to discuss such a ban this week, sending global oil prices higher.

The 27-member EU bloc is divided over whether to impose a ban that can affect about 27 percent of its imports, with some of its landlocked refineries almost completely dependent on Russian crude supplies via pipelines.

Germany, the EU’s top Russian crude buyer, and the Netherlands, a trading hub, have warned against hasty decisions that could raise energy prices further and leave some refineries idle.

Hungary opposed a ban on Russian energy imports, while Bulgaria said it may seek an exemption if such a ban is approved.

While the political debate goes on, some buyers in Europe have shunned Russian crude voluntarily to avoid reputational damage or possible legal difficulty.

The European refineries that continue to buy Russian crude are mainly co-owned by Russian firms or depend on pipeline supplies from Russia.

Beyond the European Union, the countries that have refused to criticise Russia for its invasion, such China and India, continue to buy Russian crude.

Turkey, which is seeking to mediate between Kyiv and Moscow, also has no plans to stop buying Rusian oil.

The following lists major takers of Russian crude:

NEFTOCHIM BURGAS: Bulgarian refinery, owned by Russia’s Lukoil, and with Russian crude accounting to about 60 percent of its total intake, continues to refine Russian crude.

MIRO: Russian crude continues to account for about 14 percent of the intake at Germany’s largest refinery, Miro, which is 24 percent owned by Rosneft..

PCK SCHWEDT: Germany’s refinery, 54 percent owned by Rosneft, receives crude oil via the Druzhba pipeline.

LEUNA: The land-locked Leuna refinery in eastern Germany, majority-owned by TotalEnergies, is also fed Russian crude by the Druzhba pipeline.

HELLENIC PETROLEUM: Greece’s biggest oil refiner is relying on Russian crude for about 15 percent of its intake. The company earlier this month secured additional supplies from Saudi Arabia.

ISAB: Italy’s largest refinery, owned by Lukoil-controlled Swiss-based Litasco SA, processes Russian and non-Russian crudes.

MOL: The Hungarian oil group, which operates three refineries in Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia, continues to be supplied by the Druzhba pipeline. Hungary is opposed to sanctions on Russian oil and gas.

PKN Orlen: Poland’s largest refiner, which continues to buy Russian crude for its refineries in Lithuania, Poland and the Czech Republic, said it was preparing for a complete halt..

Lithuania has said it planned to stop using Russian oil and gas.

ZEELAND REFINERY: The Dutch refinery, 45 percent-owned by Lukoil, declined to comment on whether it was using Russian crude oil.

ROTTERDAM REFINERY: Exxon Mobil declined to comment on whether its Dutch refinery in Rotterdam was using Russian crude oil.

HINDUSTAN PETROLEUM: India’s state refiner bought 2 million barrels of Russian Urals for May loading, according to trading sources last week.

INDIAN OIL: India’s top refiner has bought 3 million barrels of Urals for May delivery, trade sources said.

The following lists those that have stopped buying Russian oil:

BP: The British oil major, which is abandoning its stake in Rosneft, will not enter new deals with Russian entities for loading at Russian ports, unless "essential for ensuring security of supplies".

ENI: The energy group, 30.3 percent owned by the Italian government, is suspending purchases of Russian oil. No Russian crude will be used at Germany’s Bayernoil refinery, in which Eni and Rosneft have stakes.

EQUINOR: Norway’s majority state-owned energy firm has stopped trading Russian oil as it winds down its operations in the country.

GALP: The Portuguese oil and gas company has suspended all new purchases of petroleum products from Russia or Russian companies.

NESTE: The Finnish refiner has Russian oil contracts until the end of the year, but is not making any new supply agreements.

PREEM: Sweden’s largest refiner, owned by Saudi billionaire Mohammed Hussein al-Amoudi, has ”paused” new orders of Russian crude, which accounted for around 7 percent of its purchases, replacing them with North Sea barrels.

REPSOL: The Spanish company has stopped buying Russian crude oil in the spot market.

SHELL: The world’s largest petroleum trader will stop buying Russian crude and phase out its involvement in all Russian hydrocarbons.

TOTALENERGIES: The French company has stopped buying oil from Russia, although one of its land-locked refineries in Germany continues to receive Russian crude by pipeline.

VARO ENERGY: The Swiss refiner, which owns 51.4 percent in Germany’s Bayernoil refinery, said it did not plan to enter into new deals to buy Russian crude.