Follow-Up: Russian Refiners Raise Diesel Output in October as Export Quotas Land, Output Back Toward 180,000 Tons a Day
Russian refiners are raising diesel production in October after the government granted export quotas following the Kremlin's supply agreement with the United States, Reuters reported on October 26, citing two industry sources close to the matter. Output has climbed back toward 180,000 metric tons a day since the quotas arrived in mid-October, and LSEG tracking data showed a Malta-flagged tanker carrying 40,000 tons of Russian diesel bound for New York appearing on tracking systems on October 23.
The move follows the October 9 U.S.-Russia diesel deal: President Donald Trump said Vladimir Putin had agreed to supply Russian diesel to the United States and global markets, with the U.S. temporarily lifting sanctions on Russian fuel, and Russia confirmed the agreement. Under the schedule Trump announced, Russia would deliver more than 300,000 tons immediately, another 500,000 tons in November and 1 million tons straight after, plus a further 3 million tons depending on the condition of its refineries.
Russia's diesel export ban had been in effect since August, forcing refiners to cut production to match domestic needs while supplying limited volumes to Central Asian countries under intergovernmental agreements. Traders said that from October 1 the government allowed exemptions to the ban, issuing quotas enabling Russia to supply fuel under the Trump deal.
Industry sources said Russian diesel output fell in the first half of October to about 160,000 tons a day, from 175,000 tons a day in September, and began rising toward 180,000 tons a day after the new export quotas arrived mid-month. Domestic consumption typically falls to about 140,000 tons a day in October as the grains harvest and the summer driving season end.
That leaves at least 40,000 tons a day, or more than 1 million tons a month, available for export, though about 0.2 million to 0.3 million tons of that may be needed for neighboring countries, the sources added. They expected the government to keep the ban in place and use quotas to regulate exports, monitoring the domestic market and production changes.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on October 23 that Russian diesel shipments to the United States would continue on a regular basis after the first tanker departed.
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 炼油厂与油轮暮色资料图（瑞典 Preemraff 炼油厂，非俄罗斯境内、非涉事油轮）。照片：W.carter，CC BY-SA 4.0，经 Wikimedia Commons。
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- 2026-10-26Follow-Up: Russian Refiners Raise Diesel Output in October as Export Quotas Land, Output Back Toward 180,000 Tons a DayThis story
