Türkiye kept Russian oil imports steady in October compared to September, LSEG data showed
Türkiye will keep imports of Russian Urals crude in October at around 280,000 barrels per day (bpd), unchanged from September, according to LSEG shipping data and market sources.
October exports to Türkiye may even surpass September volumes as additional cargoes were confirmed later in the month, reflecting Türkiye’s continued demand for Russian barrels, two sources involved in Russian oil trading said.
US President Donald Trump has stepped up pressure on major oil buyers Russia, India and Türkiye to limit funding for Russia’s war in Ukraine as he pushes for a ceasefire deal.
Turkey has been one of the biggest buyers of Russian crude since 2022, when European buyers halted purchases, and has since become the second-largest buyer after India among importers of Urals, Russia’s main export grade, according to LSEG data.
Ankara has not followed Western sanctions against Moscow.
Tupras, Turkey’s largest refinery, and Türkiye’s SOCAR, a subsidiary of Azerbaijan’s state oil company SOCAR, are the main buyers of Russian oil in Türkiye, according to LSEG data and traders.
Tupras operates several refineries in Türkiye, including facilities in Izmit, Izmir, Kirikkale and Batman. The STAR refinery, which processes medium and heavy acid grades, operates mainly in the Urals. Russia’s Lukoil supplies the grade to STAR under a term agreement.
Turkish refiners continue to buy Ural because its prices are competitive compared with other grades available on the Mediterranean market, traders said.
Türkiye’s Tupras and SOCAR did not comment on their oil purchases.
Despite Western efforts to limit Russian oil prices and limit shipping and insurance services, Urals crude continues to flow to non-sanctioned countries, often through alternative logistics and payment arrangements.
The steady flow of Russian oil to Türkiye highlights the challenges Western countries face in limiting Moscow’s energy revenues in a complex global oil market.
Source: Reuters
