Europe yet to give up Russian diesel
The continent is loath to tackle its dependence upon imports of Russian refined products
The crack spread—the theoretical margin between buying crude and selling the refined product—for European diesel is at record highs. While this would not at first glance be a surprise, given the continent has been highly dependent on Russian supply, the physical diesel balances remain healthier for now than the record cracks would indicate, says Pamela Munger, senior analyst at energy analytics firm Vortexa. There has not been a decline in diesel flows from Russia to Europe so far, and Europe remains well-supplied, Munger continues. Russian loadings of diesel heading for Europe shot up in late February and then into March, before dipping slightly to levels comparable to the start of the year
Also in this section
2 April 2026
Alongside a rapid continued build-out of renewables, China’s latest five-year plan stresses the value of domestic hydrocarbon production for energy security and calls for increased Russian gas imports
2 April 2026
The government is taking important steps to revive domestic production, lift investment and benefit from the geopolitical crisis even if more needs to be done in the longer term
1 April 2026
Golden Pass’s startup offers QatarEnergy a timely boost but may also force a difficult choice between honouring disrupted contracts and capitalising on soaring spot LNG prices
1 April 2026
It is not a case of if or when, but the length and magnitude of economic damage from elevated oil prices






