Finland, until now one of the EU countries most dependent on Russian oil, last year halted imports of Ural crude but increased purchases from Norway and stocked up on barrels in the UK. United States and the United States, according to data from Refinitiv Eikon.
European Union countries banned all maritime imports of oil from the Russian Federation from December 5 last year, but many countries had already reduced their purchases before then.
Finland imported its last shipment of oil from the Urals in July 2022, according to the annual report from the state’s sole refiner, Neste Oil, ending its purchases of Russian oil, even under long-term contracts.
Russian oil imports, at 1.5 million tons, accounted for just 17% of Finland’s total crude imports in 2022, up from 84% the year before. Shipments from Norway more than quadrupled to reach 5.65 million tonnes, or 65% of the total.
Neste Oil did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Finland had relied almost exclusively on Ural crude as feedstock for its refineries, while the proximity of the Russian ports of Primorsk and Ust-Luga allowed for shorter and cheaper tanker journeys.
The closest alternative to the Urals in the region is Norway’s Johan Sverdrup field, from which Finland last year imported some 3.5m tonnes, about 10% of production, according to Refinitiv Eikon data.
