They turned to the tank: gas stations began to limit the volume of gasoline supply
In some regions of the country, gas stations began to limit the volume of gasoline or sell only diesel. For example, they release only 10-20 liters per customer, market participants told Izvestia. In addition to independent restrictions, some large oil companies have also begun to introduce them. For example, Lukoil banned the sale of gasoline in cans at individual gas stations and stopped servicing fuel cards. Supply disruptions affected Moscow, Leningrad, Ryazan, Nizhny Novgorod and other regions. The reason for the current situation is a seasonal increase in demand with a decrease in gasoline production, including in connection with refinery repairs, experts say. In addition, gasoline is more expensive on the stock exchange than in retail, and it is unprofitable for small gas stations to sell it. To curb prices, the government has decided to temporarily restrict the export of this fuel, and the introduction of a ban on diesel exports is currently being discussed. What other measures will help to stabilize the situation can be found in the Izvestia article.
What restrictions are imposed at the gas station
In a number of regions of the country, gas stations began to limit the volume of gasoline or sell only diesel. This was reported to Izvestia by market participants.
— For more than a month, there have been reports of shortages and disruptions in the supply of gasoline at gas stations in a number of regions. Some chains that continue to operate in conditions of local fuel shortage were forced to impose restrictions on the supply of gasoline in 10-20 liters per visitor or temporarily sell only diesel. These measures should help network owners to wait out a difficult period of shortage and not temporarily close gas stations, as happened earlier with individual small gas stations. In general, the situation concerns primarily Central Russia, the south of the country, the Volga region and the Far East," Pavel Bazhenov, president of the Independent Fuel Union (NTS), told Izvestia.
As the editorial staff of the NTS reported earlier, cases of local gasoline shortages were recorded in more than 10 regions of the Russian Federation. Market participants noted delays in fuel shipments from oil refineries.
Information about the restrictions was confirmed to Izvestia by business representatives in the Moscow, Leningrad, Ryazan and Nizhny Novgorod regions.
On September 22, Nizhny Novgorod Region Governor Gleb Nikitin admitted that there had been temporary fuel shortages at various gas stations in the region, noting that the situation should return to normal in the coming days.
"The temporary disruptions recorded at various gas stations are generally related to fuel supply chains in the macroregion, and this is not just about the Nizhny Novgorod region,— he wrote on his Telegram channel.
According to a participant in the fuel market in the Leningrad region, one of the main reasons for the sales stoppage is the high cost of fuel. Many gas station owners prefer to temporarily close gas stations in the hope that the price will decrease and they will be able to buy goods again at a lower cost. Other players who have been working in this field for a long time tried to create stocks in advance to compensate for the sharp rise in wholesale prices, the Izvestia interlocutor explained.
In addition to independent companies, some WINKy companies began to introduce restrictions. For example, Lukoil banned the sale of gasoline in cans at certain gas stations in Moscow and stopped servicing fuel cards at a number of gas stations in Nizhny Novgorod, Izvestia learned and sent a request to the company.
Izvestia sent inquiries to the Ministry of Energy, WINKi, as well as to independent networks.
To curb prices on the domestic market in July, the government decided to temporarily restrict gasoline exports to producers of petroleum products until August 31, and later the measure was extended to September. On September 23, the media reported that relevant agencies are discussing the extension of this restriction for all market participants, as well as the introduction of a ban on the export of diesel fuel until the end of 2025.
Gasoline prices
As Izvestia wrote, in early September, the price of 95 gasoline on the St. Petersburg Stock Exchange reached a historic high. According to the results of the auction on September 3, the price of the Ai-95 for delivery to the European part of Russia reached a record 82.3 thousand rubles per 1 ton. The Ai-92 brand reached a price of more than 70.6 thousand rubles. As of September 23, Ai-95 was trading at 78.2 thousand rubles, Ai-92 at 74.6 thousand rubles, respectively, according to the exchange data.
In addition, as reported by Izvestia's source in the industry, the current model of stock trading provokes price increases. There are more than a thousand people willing to buy fuel on the stock exchange, and the volumes offered on individual bases are extremely small. Today, the standard for oil workers is 15% of gasoline from the total production volume. As a result, all shipments are sold out instantly, and only a few are bought, the source noted.
At the same time, the authorities are trying to prevent the price of gasoline in retail from rising above the annual inflation rate or to keep these figures close. The mechanism is implemented through pressure from regulators, primarily the Federal Antimonopoly Service, on oil companies, Izvestia wrote. Such a system forces retail chains to hedge the risks of losses from the inevitable discrepancies. Therefore, prices do not decrease even when there are all prerequisites for this, the NTS explained.
On August 21, the Primorsky Fuel Union sent an appeal to Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak and the Federal Antimonopoly Service of Russia, expressing concern about the disparity in wholesale and retail prices for Ai-92 and Ai-95 gasoline in the fuel market of the region, as well as a significant reduction in sales of these fuels from refineries located in the Far East and Eastern Siberia..
— In mid-September, cases of gasoline shortages and supply disruptions were reported in regions such as Nizhny Novgorod, Rostov, Ryazan, Saratov, Amur, Magadan, Sakhalin and Jewish Autonomous Regions, as well as in Crimea, the Far East, Khabarovsk Territory, Yakutia and Chukotka. At the same time, various forms of restrictions are reported, some of them relate to the volume of shipments per visitor. Some independent gas stations are temporarily closed or unable to operate due to lack of fuel, and in some regions restrictions have not yet been officially introduced, but people notice announcements at gas stations about reduced supplies and the closure of some outlets, Vladimir Chernov, analyst at Freedom Finance Global, told Izvestia.
Among the main reasons are an increase in domestic demand during the agricultural harvest and the holiday season, scheduled repairs at refineries, and a decrease in fuel production due to Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian infrastructure, he noted.
Among the measures that could help businesses establish fuel supplies, the expert named subsidies and preferential logistics for gas stations in remote regions, regulation of export prices and domestic shipments (so that exports do not delay the domestic market), investments in accelerating repairs or the introduction of new refining capacities.
— The government acts promptly and uses the full range of available tools to protect the interests of domestic consumers. Strict export regulation has already proved its effectiveness in stabilizing stock prices and is aimed at prioritizing saturation of the domestic market. Export restrictions allow us to support key industries by maintaining fuel availability for Russian farmers, transport organizations and ordinary drivers, which is crucial for the smooth operation of the economy," said Dmitry Tortev, a member of the expert council of the State Duma Committee for the Protection of Competition.
In the long term, an important step will be to work on strategic stability: the formation of such fuel reserves that will make it possible to neutralize such scenarios, the expert believes.
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