Problems of the Russian Oil Industry through the Prism of a Petrol Station

Abstract

Reliable supply of consumers with petroleum products at affordable prices has traditionally been one of the most discussed problems of the Russian economy. This problem directly affects interests of a large number of car owners, and indirectly (through a system of inter-sectoral relations) almost the entire population of the country. Interest in this topic rises dramatically in periods of shortage of oil products and / or a sharp rise in their prices. But the “fuel” question is only a visible part of problems that have accumulated in the Russian oil and gas sector and our domestic economy as a whole. The article identifies a range of sectoral problems that perpetuate crises of fuel supply with uncanny recurrence. Each failure to resolve those problems will require more effort later and incur higher cost, while their complexity gets more exacerbated.