Refining Constraints Put Pressure on Diesel Markets, City University Lecturer Says

The current strain in oil markets is linked more closely to refining capacity, according to Abdullah El-Sayed, a researcher and lecturer at City University in London.

El-Sayed pointed to a widening gap between the price of crude oil and refined products, highlighting pressure on the part of the supply chain that turns crude into usable fuels.

His assessment places refining at the centre of the difficulties facing diesel markets, rather than focusing solely on the availability or price of crude.

The distinction matters because crude must be processed before it can supply fuel markets. Constraints at that stage can put pressure on refined products even when crude prices alone do not fully reflect the strain.