Russian Naphtha: Standards, Production and Export

Straight-run gasoline, or naphtha, occupies a special place in Russia's refining and petrochemical structure. Unlike commercial automotive gasoline, naphtha is not used directly as motor fuel due to its low octane number, but serves as feedstock for pyrolysis (ethylene and propylene production), catalytic reforming (aromatic hydrocarbons) and as a blending component for high-octane gasoline. Russia is among the largest producers and exporters of naphtha, and its output and export volumes directly affect refinery utilisation, the domestic petrochemical market and budget revenues.

Classification and Fractional Composition

Naphtha is a light distillate with boiling ranges within gasoline fractions - usually from the initial boiling point to 180-220 °C. Depending on fractional composition and intended use, several types are distinguished:

• Light Naphtha - with a boiling range from the initial point to 90-100 °C. It is characterised by a high content of light components and is optimal for steam cracking to produce ethylene.
• Heavy Naphtha - with a boiling range from 90-100 °C to 180-220 °C. It contains more heavy components and is used primarily as feedstock for catalytic reforming and aromatics production.
• Full-range Naphtha - covers the entire gasoline fraction range and can be used for both pyrolysis and reforming depending on buyer requirements.
• Condensate-based Naphtha - produced at gas processing and condensate plants, characterised by high purity and low sulphur content.

In Russian statistics and classification, the naphtha category also includes stable gas gasoline (BGS) and gas condensate distillate (DGK) - products close in composition and physico-chemical properties but obtained by different routes. This expanded definition is important for understanding production and export volumes, since in international trade these products are often accounted for together.

Quality Standards

Unlike automotive gasoline, there is no single national standard (GOST) for naphtha in Russia comparable to GOST 32513 for commercial gasoline. Quality requirements are formed on the basis of manufacturers' technical specifications (TU) and contract terms with buyers, who rely on international specifications and the requirements of petrochemical plants. For certain products, such as petroleum solvent (nefras), GOST 8505-80 applies, while fractional composition test methods are regulated by GOST 2177-99 (ISO 3405-88).

Key controlled parameters include fractional composition (initial and final boiling points, 10%, 50%, 90% distillation), density at 20 °C (typically 700-780 kg/m³ depending on type), sulphur content (for petrochemical purposes - as a rule, not more than 0.05%), paraffin hydrocarbon content (for pyrolysis, a high content of normal paraffins is important - 60-80%), aromatic hydrocarbon content (typically 5-15%), naphthenic hydrocarbon content (limited for certain processes) and water and mechanical impurity content.

For export supplies, naphtha quality must comply with the importing country's requirements and the specifications of specific refineries or petrochemical complexes. Chinese and Taiwanese buyers, for example, impose higher requirements on fractional composition stability and impurity content, since naphtha is used in pyrolysis and reforming under stringent process conditions.

Production and Output Volumes

Precise official statistics on naphtha production are not publicly available: a significant part of the product is accounted for within the categories "straight-run gasoline", "stable gas gasoline" and "gas condensate distillate". According to industry experts, in the absence of precise statistics, total naphtha production in Russia can be estimated at 23.6-28.8 million tonnes per year, equivalent to 560-605 thousand barrels per day. Earlier estimates indicated a volume of about 21 million tonnes, of which about 5 million tonnes were consumed by petrochemicals.

Domestic naphtha consumption at Russian petrochemical plants is estimated at about 5.5-6.5 million tonnes (130-155 thousand barrels per day), i.e. about a quarter of production. The remaining volume is directed to export or used for blending in high-octane gasoline production. This structure means that Russian naphtha is largely export-oriented, while domestic demand is limited by petrochemical complex capacity.

The main naphtha production centres are large refineries and gas processing plants in Western Siberia and the Volga region, as well as condensate facilities. For example, NOVATEK's Ust-Luga complex produces condensate-based naphtha, which is characterised by high purity and low sulphur content. Production concentration is high, and a significant part of export flows is formed by a limited circle of vertically integrated companies.

Exports: Geography and Dynamics

Exports remain a key sales channel for Russian naphtha. In 2025, Russia exported an average of 430-450 thousand barrels of naphtha per day, corresponding to about 1.4-1.5 million tonnes per month. However, in certain periods volumes fluctuated significantly under the influence of sanctions, attacks on refineries and changes in demand from key buyers.

According to Vortexa, in January-October 2025 Russia exported 13.56 million tonnes of naphtha. The largest buyers were Taiwan, China (3.62 million tonnes, 27%), mainland China (2.16 million tonnes, 16%) and India (1.52 million tonnes, 11%). In 2025, Russia accounted for about 13% of global naphtha exports, becoming the second-largest supplier to Asia after the Middle East and providing about 14% of Asian naphtha imports.

China remains one of the key markets. In April 2025, naphtha shipments from Ust-Luga to continental China ports increased to 263 thousand tonnes from 180 thousand tonnes a month earlier, while supplies to Taiwan rose to 319 thousand tonnes from 80 thousand tonnes. India may have received about 150 thousand tonnes of naphtha in April.

However, in late 2025 exports came under serious pressure. After the US imposed sanctions on Rosneft and Lukoil in October 2025, key buyers reduced purchases. In November 2025, supplies to India fell by 57% to 60 thousand tonnes, to China by 73% to 54 thousand tonnes, and to Taiwan by 80% to 37 thousand tonnes, according to S&P Global Commodities at Sea (CAS). According to preliminary data, naphtha exports to Asia in January 2026 may have fallen to 600 thousand tonnes compared to 800 thousand tonnes in December 2025, about 30% below the average monthly level of 1-1.2 million tonnes in the first ten months of 2025. An additional factor was the closure of the Tuapse refinery and Taman port for repairs after drone attacks: the Tuapse refinery, which exported 150-200 thousand tonnes of naphtha per month, halted processing on 31 December 2025.

Export geography continues to shift. In addition to Taiwan, China and India, destinations include Singapore, Malaysia, Turkey and Brazil. In April 2025, 40 thousand tonnes of naphtha were shipped from Ust-Luga to Brazil, which purchases Russian naphtha primarily for blending; since the beginning of the year, the country has received an average of 60 thousand tonnes per month of naphtha from Russia. Venezuela, which previously purchased Russian naphtha to dilute heavy oil, stopped imports in December 2025 after the US imposed an embargo on tankers heading to the country. Sellers are forced to look for new markets and store cargoes on ships and in foreign storage for subsequent re-export.

Logistics and Infrastructure

Russian naphtha logistics relies on seaports and rail transport. Key loading ports are Ust-Luga and Primorsk in the Baltic, Novorossiysk and Taman in the Black Sea, as well as Far Eastern terminals. Tankers are used for transportation, including vessels of the so-called "shadow fleet" operating outside Western services and insurance.

A special role is played by the Indonesian port of Karimun, located in a free trade zone outside Indonesia's jurisdiction. Here Russian naphtha is blended with products of other origins, after which it is considered Indonesian and can be re-exported to Singapore, Malaysia, China and other countries without Western sanctions. In 2025, about 50 thousand tonnes of naphtha were shipped through Karimun. Similar schemes are used in Port Said and El-Hoseima.

Sanctions pressure on logistics is intensifying. In December 2025, tankers with about 350 thousand tonnes of naphtha loaded in Russian ports indicated Singapore as their destination, while vessels with more than 320 thousand tonnes did not disclose final destinations. Some cargoes remain unclaimed on the water, and sellers bear additional storage and freight costs. Freight rates and insurance costs are rising, increasing the discount on Russian cargoes compared to "legitimate" naphtha from other sources.

Regulation: Excise and Export Duty

Circulation and export of naphtha in Russia are regulated by tax and customs legislation. From 1 January 2025, the excise on straight-run gasoline (naphtha) was replaced by a fixed monetary rate: RUB 19,298 per tonne in 2025, RUB 20,070 per tonne in 2026, with subsequent indexation in 2027-2028. At the same time, the export duty on naphtha is 55% of the crude oil duty rate, while for light petroleum products and commercial gasoline it is 30%. At certain periods the naphtha duty rate reached USD 14.4 per tonne.

This fiscal construct makes naphtha exports economically attractive for producers compared to domestic market supplies, where demand is limited. However, it also creates risks for domestic petrochemicals: in the event of fuel shortages or tighter regulation, part of naphtha may be redirected from export to the domestic market for blending or pyrolysis. The government is also considering support measures for petrochemicals, including subsidies for production using straight-run gasoline.

Prospects and Selection Factors

Russian naphtha retains stable positions in the global market but faces systemic challenges: sanctions pressure on buyers and logistics, attacks on refineries, reduced exports to Asia and the need to find new sales markets. Key growth factors are the restoration of processing at damaged refineries, expansion of supplies to China and Southeast Asia, and the development of re-export schemes through neutral jurisdictions.

For buyers, not only price per tonne matters but also stability of fractional composition and sulphur content, delivery terms (FOB, CIF, DES), supply chain reputation, availability of tankers and insurance, and consideration of regulatory restrictions (excise, duty, sanctions). Understanding standards, differences between naphtha types and the structure of logistics flows helps reduce risks and build long-term contracts with Russian producers and traders.

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