09-06-02 Asian oil refineries are ready for an intensification of deliveries of the Russian crude oil, a high-ranking source in OPEC's General Secretariat in Vienna told.
According to traders at Asian crude exchanges, including in Tokyo and Singapore, Russian, West African and Middle Asian crude oil is much cheaper -- on the average, by 60-80 cents per barrel -- than oil from Arab exporter countries, in particular, the popular Arab crude oil called Dubai crude.

Asian oil refineries' representatives say there is no need to refuse to buy Russian Urals crude oil, for it is more economical and better than Middle East oil. According to an OPEC source, in June over 6 mm barrels of Urals crude oil from Russia will be delivered to China, South Korea and Taiwan. "Big oil" will come to Asia from African suppliers as well, chiefly from Oman -- the Oman blend oil.
One can't speak of full transfer of Asian crude exchanges to the trade in only Russian and African oil yet, exchange traders think. For the time being such deliveries are traditionally in the bud. But the situation will be gradually improving, and in the years to come oil from Russia and West Africa might burst into Asian crude exchanges, experts stress.