According to the spokesperson for Sverdlovsknefteproduct JSC, the official dealer of Sibneft JSC (Siberian supplier) in Sverdlovsk Region, the company managed to keep the mineral oil prices at their filling stations stable throughout the year 2005. ‘We believe this is due to a moratorium declared by some oil companies,’ the spokesperson reports.

The same is true of Ural Oil Company (TNC JSC), says the company’s representative.

‘We aren’t planning to have the mineral oil prices go up since the wholesale prices have decreased by the end of the year,’ the representative of the company’s Sales Department said.

All this is due to a number of major Russian oil companies such as LUKOIL, TNK-BP, Rosneft, Tatneft and Surgutneftgaz deciding on September 19 not to let the prices at the filling stations go up, regardless of the oil price dynamics.