Original article (in Serbian) was published on 17/1/2024; Author: Ivan Subotić
In January 2024, the daily Informer published a story on its web portal about a “shocking reversal.” The article titled “America imports Russian oil again” quotes the Informer stating, “in October, after a one and a half year long break, the USA imported oil from Russia again,” and notes that “in November, they made another purchase.” This information was sourced from the website of the Russian state news agency RIA. However, it appears that the reported resurgence in oil imports from Russia—which had been stopped in the spring of 2022 due to sanctions—did not actually occur.
What Sources Do Domestic and Russian Media Rely On?
Informer reports that, “according to the Department of Statistics, the USA purchased 36,800 barrels of oil from Russia in October of the previous year”. The tabloid further notes “that the value of these imports was $2.7 million” and that “in November, the volume of purchases was 9,900 barrels, amounting to $750,000.” In addition to referencing the so-called “Department of Statistics,” Informer also cites the “American Statistical Service.” This same information appears in news published by the RIA agency.
Conversely, the Russian state media’s web portal, Sputnik in Serbia, published the news featuring the same data in an infographic, attributing it to “American customs” data. Meanwhile, the web portal Terazije.rs reported on this topic, stating that it relied on data from the American “Bureau of Economic Analysis.”
Given the absence of institutions named “American Statistical Service” or “Department of Statistics” in the United States, Fake News Tragač sought information and expertise from other relevant institutions that manage statistics related to energy imports in the USA. These institutions include the United States Census Bureau, which serves a similar function to Republic’s Bureau of Statistics in Serbia, the Bureau of Economic Analysis, which utilizes data from the United States Customs and Border Protection, and the United States Energy Information Administration, which specializes in energy-related statistics.
What Type of Data Is Available in the Databases of American Institutions?
Data regarding the import of oil into the USA, found on the website of the Energy Information Administration, indicates that there was no import of this energy source from Russia in October of the previous year, while the data for November have not yet been published. Confirmations from the United States Census Bureau and the Bureau of Economic Analysis further substantiate that there were no oil imports from Russia to the USA during October of the previous year.
Regarding oil imports for November of last year, information is available in the document titled “US International Trade in Goods and Services, November 2023,” published by the United States Census Bureau in January of this year. The Bureau of Economic Analysis also released this document. It indeed reports that the USA imported 10,000 barrels of oil from Russia, valued at $749,000. However, this prompts the question: Does this signify a “shocking reversal” in the country’s policy towards oil imports from Russia?
Clarification from the Energy Information Administration
To verify if the USA indeed resumed importing oil from Russia after a year-and-a-half hiatus, Fake News Tragač reached out to the US Energy Information Administration. This agency clarified to FakeNews Tragac that the 10,000 barrels of oil of Russian origin, listed in the agency’s data, were in fact blended with significantly larger quantities of materials from other countries during importation. Additionally, we were informed that this volume is less than the smallest cargo hold on an ocean liner, indicating that it does not constitute a full oil tanker’s import from Russia.
“The conclusion is that the ‘reservoir bottom’ (the volume that remains in the tanker) was in the tanker when it was filled with other material, and the importer, to be completely transparent, added this volume with other volumes. As you may know, it is never possible to completely empty the cargo of heavier petroleum products, such as crude oil or residual fuel oil”, the US Energy Information Administration told FN Tragac.
“The reality is that the ‘residual bottom’ (the remaining volume in the tanker) was present when the tanker was loaded with other materials. The importer, aiming for full transparency, reported this volume along with other quantities. As is widely acknowledged, it is impossible to entirely empty a tanker of heavier petroleum products, such as crude oil or residual fuel oil,” the US Energy Information Administration explained to FN Tragač.
In addition to the web portals Informer, Sputnik, and Terazije.rs, Kurir, RT, Borba, Webtribune and Srbin info also reported on the alleged re-importation of oil from Russia to the USA in a similar manner. However, the web portal 24 sedam adopted a more cautious approach, not mentioning the alleged October import or the quantity of oil imported in November, but highlighting that “the USA continued to import Russian oil.”