Russia eyes sulphur stream

The government is considering supplying high-sulphur crude in a separate stream to improve Urals export quality

Talks involving the Russian energy ministry have resumed over the creation of a separate 2.3% sulphur crude stream out of the Ust-Luga oil terminal on the Russian side of the Gulf of Finland. It's a move that has been mooted for some time, aimed at making Russian oil more attractive to international buyers. Alexey Rybnikov, president of the St. Petersburg International Mercantile Exchange (Spimex), told Petroleum Economist last year that Urals' greater sulphur content compared to Brent, has become a major headache for the Kremlin's drive to gain international recognition for the Urals contract. Stripping out the higher sulphur stream from Urals—which is derived from a mix of various oil qual