Russia's scheduled Nov oil exports from western ports revised up to 2.3 mln bpd - traders

Russia's scheduled oil exports from its western ports of Novorossiisk, Primorsk and Ust-Luga were revised up to almost 2.3 million barrels per day for November, slightly below October's level, three traders familiar with the matter told Reuters.

Previously November oil exports from Russia's western ports were expected to decline significantly from October amid higher refinery runs, but several companies have increased their export plans, the traders said.

Russia's refinery runs are still scheduled to rise this month after seasonal maintenance. Regular turnarounds on Russian refineries are a usual reason for higher oil exports in September and October every year.

In November additional oil exports could be achieved as companies evacuate crude oil stored last month, when a fuel export ban imposed by Russia's government made some refineries cut runs, two of the traders said.

Urals and Kazakhstan's KEBCO oil loadings from Baltic ports Primorsk and Ust-Luga are now planned at some 7 million tonnes for November, or 1.7 million bpd, down from 7.2 million tonnes in the October plan.

Exports from the Black Sea's Novorossiisk port are scheduled at 2.4 million tonnes or 580,000 bpd, down from 2.7 million tonnes in the October plan, the traders said.

Russian oil sellers are trying to maximize oil exports now when demand for their oil in Asia is good, as possible new sanctions and market changes may challenge sales next month, one of the traders said.

In October the U.S. imposed sanctions on two shipowners transporting Russian oil priced above the Western ceiling of $60 per barrel, sending freight rates for oil originated in Russia up.