Russia may lift ban on pipeline diesel exports in coming days

The Russian government is ready to partially lift its ban on diesel exports in coming days, the daily Kommersant reported on Wednesday, citing unnamed sources.

The ban would be lifted only on pipeline exports of diesel and volumes may be subject to quotas to avoid surges in wholesale prices, the newspaper reported. The ban on gasoline exports will remain in force for now.

Storage facilities of Russian oil pipeline monopoly Transneft have been nearly exhausted and redirecting the extra volumes to the domestic market was almost technologically impossible, Kommersant reports.


On Tuesday, Russia said it was not setting any time frame for the fuel export ban it introduced last month.

Despite being one of the world's top oil producers, Russia has suffered shortages of gasoline and diesel in recent months as high export prices made it more advantageous for refiners to sell their products abroad.