Equinor’s Russian retreat heightens self-sanctioning price spike fears
Consultancy Kpler suggests a slowdown in Russian flows might be about to show up in the data and is not priced in
Norway’s Equinor has joined fellow IOC Shell in deciding to stop trading in Russian oil. The firm will not enter any new trades or engage in transport of oil and oil products from Russia, although it will continue to receive cargoes bought before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Equinor’s principled stance is to be applauded. But cargo tracking firm Kpler warns that so-called ‘self-sanctioning’, where companies either publicly or privately quit trading in Russian barrels, has yet to show up in trade flow data. If and when it does—potentially from later this week— “it is hard to see how crude oil prices are not being under-priced”, in Kpler’s view. Equinor’s ongoing commitments include contracts

Also in this section
1 April 2025
There is method to the US president’s apparent madness, and those seeking to understand need look no further than their local bookshop
1 April 2025
Strong economic growth targets are encouraging for the country’s energy demand growth, even if meeting those goals might be a tall order
28 March 2025
The Central Asian country is positioning itself as a low-carbon leader, but antiquated infrastructure and a dependence on Russia are holding it back
28 March 2025
MCEDD 2025 took place in Madrid this week with record attendance and a wide-ranging programme, reflecting the deepwater sector’s renewed momentum, strategic focus and accelerating technological innovation.