Russia’s Murky Measures Keep Its Oil Flowing After Sanctions

Russia is resorting to a number of murky practices to sell a lesser-known oil product to buyers wary of breaching sanctions, and to beat a financial cap set by the European Union and its allies.

Sellers of Russian naphtha — which is primarily used to make plastics and petrochemicals — are facing more hurdles getting the product to market since sanctions took effect in early February. That’s led to measures such as the fuel being labeled as gasoline or cargoes leaving ports without a destination, according to people familiar with the matter, and FGE and Kpler.