OREANDA-NEWS  Oil products from Russia continue to flow to South Korea in a significant volume, but now they do not go directly, as in previous years, but through Tunisia. Reuters writes about this with reference to data from the analytical company Refinitiv.

The materials indicate that South Korean companies have increased purchases of naphtha (naphtha, a combustible mixture of liquid hydrocarbons) in Tunisia, while Russia has sharply increased supplies there.

Manish Seiwal, Vice President of Rystad Energy, believes that the unusual trade routes are primarily explained by Western sanctions imposed after the outbreak of the armed conflict in Ukraine.

In 2021, South Korea, the world's largest importer of naphtha, purchased 590 thousand tons of fuel in Russia, that is, about a quarter of the total volume. Last month, the Asian country bought 82 thousand tons in Tunisia, although not a single batch was delivered from there last year. In addition, Tunisia almost does not buy naphtha for its own needs, but from August to November 2022 it imported 410 thousand tons of fuel from Russia.

The South Korean government declined to comment on this data. Tunisian officials ignored a request for comment, but a source in the Ministry of Energy stressed that the country does not import, but exports petroleum products. Last year, Tunisia exported an average of 21 thousand tons of naphtha per month, most often to Europe.

Earlier it was reported that Chinese refineries (refineries) began to reduce purchases of Russian oil for delivery in December. Thus, they decided to be safe from possible supply disruptions, which is associated with the imminent entry into force of EU sanctions.