SPIMEX sees no acute signs of winter diesel shortage

MOSCOW. Dec 10 (Interfax) - Exchange prices for diesel fuel, primarily winter diesel, are still high, but there are no acute signs of a shortage of winter diesel brands right now, the senior vice president of the St. Petersburg International Mercantile Exchange (SPIMEX), Anton Karpov said in an interview with Interfax.

"Prices are high in the diesel segment right now, mainly for winter diesel. This is normal for the winter. Production of winter brands of diesel fuel are strongly tied to kerosene, and it is precisely aviation kerosene that is in very high demand on the market right now. In other words, if refineries make a lot of aviation kerosene, there is less winter diesel. Production of products cannot be reconfigured quickly. I think that production of winter diesel in Russia will reach the necessary levels by the time seriously cold weather arrives. For now there are such possibilities, as the weather at the end of this year is far warmer than past years," Karpov said.

"The export alternative also plays a role in regard to diesel. If exports are more lucrative, it's more difficult to turn additional product toward the domestic market. And, after all, regulators are carefully following the situation and working with the market. There are no acute signs of a winter diesel shortage right now," Karpov said.