The State Duma of the Russian Federation has proposed introducing quotas for gasoline supplies to the domestic market and raising the share of fuel sold on the exchange from 13% to 20%. This development was reported by the newspaper News.
Lawmakers believe these measures could help curb a sharp rise in retail gasoline prices. Fears of a price surge grew after gasoline prices on the exchange climbed by 12.2% since early July, according to data from the St. Petersburg Stock Exchange.
Pricing concerns were on the agenda during a July 29 session of the State Duma Council and discussions with the Ministry of Energy. The main factors cited for the price increase were repair work at refineries, logistical bottlenecks, and the participation of fuel companies in the buying and selling process.
The Federal Antimonopoly Service reported violations in the retail sale of fuel in several regions.
Last month, the Perm regional office of FAS found that a subsidiary of Lukoil violated competition law as fuel prices rose. In Tuva, a collusion case involving 10 oil products market participants was revealed. The Tver regional office issued a warning to a Surgutneftegaz subsidiary for signs of price discrimination against consumers.
According to FAS, two fuel companies in the LPR received misleading warnings about sale terms, particularly price information for petroleum products.
The head of the Russian Fuel Union, Evgeny Arkusha, commented that retail gasoline prices in Russia have risen within inflation limits, though complaints about currency-related pricing persist.
Analysts note a systemic pricing issue rooted in the mismatch between gasoline production capacity and consumer demand. Specifically, demand for AI-95 gasoline remains high while production lags, a situation compounded by sanctions that slow repair schedules.
Arkusha emphasized prioritizing rail transport for fuel, as new nondiscriminatory access rules to the Russian Railways infrastructure take effect in September. These rules could complicate carrier access amid limited capacity.
Experts say that simply raising the exchange selling standard is unlikely to produce a major effect. A ban on gasoline exports could lead to market saturation and price stability, but such a measure would be temporary, one analyst noted.
Previously, Novak indicated that oil workers would boost refinery utilization to meet growing gasoline demand.
[Citation: News reports and official statements pertaining to energy market regulation in Russia.]