Gas Prices Rise Despite Record Payments to Oil Producers: Situation at Gas Stations - RG Review

With the introduction of the damper, the mineral extraction tax (MET) was increased for oil companies, which has facilitated these payouts. Notably, all oil-producing companies pay the MET, while only those owning major refineries benefit from the damper. Therefore, the damper cannot be seen as a form of "money extraction" from other sectors of the economy. This year, the situation has arisen where oil and gas revenues decreased while the damper payments increased.

For the entire last year, damper payments amounted to 881.8 billion rubles. Over the first nine months of this year, the amount has already exceeded 1.2 trillion rubles. High payouts were observed in 2022 and 2024, when oil and gas revenues also set records. However, for the first nine months of this year, the treasury received 17.2% less from the sector compared to the same period of the less-than-record year 2025.

In total, in September, the budget received 870.9 billion rubles from oil and gas taxes, but only 452.4 billion rubles were sent to the revenue part of the budget. The remaining 418.5 billion rubles were returned to oil companies in the form of compensations and subsidies, the majority of which were related to the damper mechanism.

Despite the record damper payments in September, Rosstat data indicates that retail prices for gasoline continued to rise, having increased by more than 1% over the month (21.2% since the start of the year). The situation with diesel fuel is better, as its price dropped by almost 2% in a month; however, the price rose by 14% since the beginning of the year. Inflation reached 4.93% by the end of September. On the stock exchanges in September, gasoline and diesel prices plummeted significantly (by 6-10%) compared to the peaks of August, but this decline did not reflect on retail prices.

As noted in a conversation with "RG" by Yuri Stankevich, Deputy Chair of the State Duma Committee on Energy, the damper compensates for the difference between internal and external prices specifically at the wholesale level. However, the price at gas stations (GS) comprises not only the cost of fuel procurement. It includes logistics, rising maintenance costs for equipment, electricity, labor costs, and the margin of the GS network itself. Furthermore, gas stations incur costs to maintain prices from previous months through their own profits.

The damper benefits refineries, not gas stations. Therefore, the payouts only indirectly influence retail prices. Considering the record payout amounts, a greater impact on gas station prices was expected. However, this did not occur for several reasons.

According to Sergey Frolov, managing partner of NEFT Research, factors such as the rising fuel prices in Europe (where damper calculations are still based on Rotterdam prices) and increased gasoline imports played a role. The end price, therefore, is higher than the European levels, since the high global market prices are compounded by logistics costs and premiums for sanctions and other risks. Under these conditions, the damper is insufficient for imports. This means trading at a loss, which independent players (gas stations not owned by large oil companies) cannot sustain. The price increases at independent or franchised stations primarily drive the average price index higher, as noted by the expert.

Stankevich believes that the influence of fuel imports should not be overstated. The reason for the increased damper payments stems not from imports but from the sharp rise in global prices for oil and petroleum products. In September 2026, against the backdrop of rising global quotations and a weakening ruble, export fuel prices reached anomalously high levels compared to the regulated domestic market, leading to historic compensation levels. In this case, fuel imports are not a driver of payments.

The average price of AI-92 gasoline in Rotterdam in August 2026 increased by 2% compared to the previous month, while DF rose by 10%, according to Sergey Tereshkin, CEO of Open Oil Market. However, due to the weakening ruble, the price of the export alternative (export price minus costs) increased even more: for AI-92 gasoline, it rose by 9%, and for DF by as much as 19%.

The expert is confident that if it were not for the weakening ruble, damper payments, calculated with a one-month lag, would not have exceeded 300 billion rubles.

He does not rule out that in October 2026 (payments will be for September), damper payments may increase further, as the average exchange rate last month was 85.1 rubles per dollar compared to 83.2 rubles in August and 77.9 rubles in July. Tereshkin does not anticipate a significant decrease in retail gasoline prices but allows for some stabilization, as is already occurring with diesel prices.

According to Dmitry Gusev, Deputy Chair of the Supervisory Board of the "Reliable Partner" Association, and a member of the expert council for the "Gas Stations of Russia" competition, the key issue for the industry now is the volumes of oil refining, not prices. He believes there is no incentive for building new refineries, particularly in areas where they are desperately needed, such as the eastern regions of the country. Taxes from the oil industry are collected at the extraction stage, export duties have been nullified, and companies can do whatever they deem necessary with this oil—export it or refine it, Gusev noted.

A car owner from Rostov demanded that one of the gas stations refund her overpayment for fuel; her request has already been supported by the antimonopoly service. If the gas station operators do not reimburse her, the Rostov resident is prepared to seek justice through the courts.

In August, a dilemma confronted Irina Yakimiv: to refuel at reasonable prices after waiting in line or to fill up freely, albeit at a high price.

"I was in a hurry for business and stopped at one of the gas stations. The price for AI-92 gasoline was over one hundred rubles, but I had to refuel. I encountered some completely unreasonable prices—180, 200 rubles per liter," Irina recounted.

She decided not to let the issue slide and submitted a request to the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) asking them to investigate what she considered unreasonable fuel price increases.

In her appeal, Irina Yakimiv noted that she finds the rise in fuel prices in Rostov-on-Don to be unjustified, especially at the "Ajax" gas stations in the Rostov region.

Ultimately, her case was recognized as valid: the Rostov region's FAS reported that the department continuously monitors price formation in the oil products market and had already found instances of price gouging at two regional gas stations. They were issued official warnings and required to rectify the situation.

However, Yakimiv was only partially satisfied with this outcome. "I prepared a pre-trial complaint requesting compensation for my losses. We took the average price in the region and compared it to what they charged me at the gas station. It came out to about a thousand rubles in overpayment," she told "RG."

At the same time, the woman emphasizes: the issue is not the amount but the principle; she wants to set a precedent to deter unscrupulous gas stations from artificially inflating prices.

If Ajax does not voluntarily seek settlement, the Rostov resident is determined to pursue justice in court. "Who guarantees that they won't return to this practice in the future?" asks Irina Yakimiv.

Source: RG.RU