[Archyde.com]–Russian oil dealers are switching from general bidding to individual trading due to new sanctions imposed on Russia by Western countries. Traders revealed on the 17th.
About a quarter of major Russian crude oil exports, such as Ural crude and ESPO blended crude, are usually sold in spot contracts through open bids that invite many companies.
According to the April 1-5 loading plan announced on the 16th, as of the 17th, no Russian company is conducting a spot bid for May loading ESPO crude oil. Normally, bidding is held at this time, but spot bidding has not been conducted for Ural crude oil loaded in early April.
“Currently, bidding is totally useless because buyers are shy away,” a Russian oil company told Archyde.com. Russian oil companies and foreign importers are looking for the next best of normal trading practices, such as changing payment methods or trading in different currencies, given market pressures associated with sanctions.