Russia's “Kommersant” quoted unnamed sources familiar with the matter as reporting that the Russian government is discussing the possibility of introducing export bans on aromatic hydrocarbon products such as benzene, phenol, toluene, and xylene. The working group began discussions on this topic in mid-August, but no specific resolution was reached due to differences between the parties on the issue of benzene and phenol. Each ministry will solicit opinions from market participants before further consultations. The background of this discussion is that refinery overhauls have led to a decline in aromatic hydrocarbon production and an increase in the consumption of aromatic hydrocarbons in fuel production. Aromatics can be used as gasoline octane enhancers and petrochemical raw materials; refiners can switch more naphth-based components to fuel production rather than selling them to petrochemical buyers. Some Russian refineries are currently approved to produce Euro 2 and Euro 3 standard fuels. The aromatic content of such fuels can be higher than Euro 5 gasoline.

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