Turkish Refineries Cut Urals Oil Purchases, Boost Alternative Crude Supplies

SEATTLE (Oil Monster): Türkiye sharply reduced its imports of Russia’s flagship Urals crude oil in November as Western sanctions tightened and domestic refineries turned to other suppliers, according to shipping data cited by Reuters. Flows of Urals crude fell to about 200,000 barrels per day (bpd) last month, roughly 100,000 bpd lower than in October, based on figures from Kpler and LSEG.

Türkiye became one of the largest buyers of Russian crude after European markets cut purchases in 2022, ranking behind only India among seaborne importers. However, fresh U.S. sanctions targeting Russian producers Lukoil and Rosneft have limited the number of suppliers Turkish refiners can access. The European Union’s upcoming ban on fuels made from Russian oil—scheduled for late January 2026—is also prompting greater diversification.

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As Urals volumes declined, Türkiye increased imports of alternative grades such as Kazakhstan’s CPC Blend and Iraq’s Basrah. CPC Blend imports reached around 105,000 bpd in November, the highest since February 2024. The Kazakh-origin crude is exempt from sanction restrictions despite loading at a Russian port.

The shift comes as Russia and Türkiye discuss extending major natural gas contracts totaling 21.75 billion cubic meters annually. Turkish officials stressed that Russian gas remains an essential part of Türkiye’s energy supply strategy despite expanding LNG agreements.