Russia’s January-November Oil Output up 2 Percent Ahead of EU Ban, Price Caps

Russia’s January-November Oil Output up 2 Percent Ahead of EU Ban, Price Caps
A worker walks past a pump jack on an oil field owned by Bashneft company near the village of Nikolo-Berezovka, northwest from Ufa, Bashkortostan, Russia, on Jan. 28, 2015. Sergei Karpukhin/Reuters
Reuters
Updated:

MOSCOW—Russia’s January-November oil and gas condensate production rose 2.2 percent from a year earlier to 488 million tonnes, the Interfax news agency said on Tuesday, citing Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak, who expects a slight output decline following new sanctions.

European Union countries that have been primary buyers of Russian crude for decades stopped buying it from sea ports from Dec. 5 under an embargo imposed by the bloc.

The Group of Seven nations, Australia, and the 27 EU states have also introduced a $60 per barrel price cap on Russian oil.

Russia’s oil and gas condensate output from January to November averaged 10.91 million barrels per day, according to Reuters calculations.

Speaking to reporters later on Tuesday, Novak said Russian oil will still be in high demand following the sanctions.

“Global consumption, economic growth in the world must be provided with energy resources. There is not much oil in the world, and Russian oil has always been and will be in demand. Yes, supply chains will change. Nevertheless, we do not see any tragedy in this,” Novak said according to Interfax.

He also said that Russia may cut its oil production amid the uncertainty.

“I don’t think the volumes (of decline) will be big. Nevertheless, we do not rule this out, although we are doing everything to ensure that the situation is stable,” Novak was quoted as saying by TASS news agency.