In Russia, following gasoline, a shortage of motor oils has emerged
In Russia, amid the ongoing fuel crisis, disruptions in the supply of motor oils have begun. Certain popular products are disappearing from sale, delivery times have increased from a few days to two weeks, and prices for some products have jumped up to 40% over the summer.
Problems in the market are reported by Russian media citing car dealers, service networks and other industry participants. The most noticeable disruptions are with motor oils.
Head of the service direction of the automotive marketplace Fresh, Vladimir Andreev, said that over the past two months, prices for products purchased by the company have increased 1.5-2 times, and delivery times have increased from about two days to two weeks. According to him, some popular oils are no longer available from manufacturers, so companies have to buy leftovers from intermediaries.
The shortage of imported products is especially noticeable. Stocks of premium and original oils from Shell, Castrol, BMW and VAG group brands are shrinking in warehouses. At the same time, market participants emphasize that there is no full-scale shortage of all motor oils yet - the problems concern primarily certain brands, specifications and viscosity types.
One of the reasons for the disruptions is problems with raw materials. Russian manufacturers lack some imported additives necessary for the production of finished lubricants. Market participants also link the situation to unscheduled repairs at refineries and reduced supplies of raw materials from oil refineries.
Additional problems are created by international logistics. In particular, the situation around the Strait of Hormuz raises the cost of transportation, freight and cargo insurance, which affects the supply of imported components and finished products.
At the same time, the fuel crisis has created another factor of pressure on the oil market. Due to the shortage of quality gasoline, Russian authorities have allowed wider use of fuel of outdated environmental standards "Euro-2" and "Euro-3", which contain more sulfur.
Director of external communications at NEFT Research, Dmitry Prokofiev, explained that using such gasoline in modern cars accelerates the aging of motor oil. Drivers are recommended to reduce replacement intervals by about 1.5-2 times. Prolonged use of fuel with high sulfur content can also lead to contamination and increased engine wear.
Thus, in Russia, the availability of some motor oils is simultaneously decreasing and the need for their more frequent replacement is growing.
According to Fit Service, since the beginning of the year, motor oils in Russia have risen in price by an average of 15-20%, and for certain items the increase can reach 40%. The company "Rolf" claims that the cost of some imported oils has approximately doubled.
Kurs Ukraine previously wrote that due to fuel shortages, Russian authorities began to weaken quality requirements. Initially, Russia allowed the sale of gasoline with "Euro-3" standard characteristics, and in August the government expanded relaxations, allowing until July 1, 2027, the production, import and sale of gasoline of environmental classes "Euro-2", "Euro-3" and "Euro-4".
