Global diesel prices hit record highs, further rises possible

Global diesel prices have hit record highs in Europe, the United States and Asia as wars in Iran and Ukraine cut exports from major producers and strained refining capacity. The International Energy Agency said stretched refinery capacity leaves few options to stop further supply tightening and higher prices. U.S. retail diesel rose above $6 a gallon for the first time, while Asian diesel prices remain near record levels.

Middle East diesel exports halved from March to August to an average of 800,000 barrels per day, according to Kpler shipping data.

The Middle East supplied nearly 41 percent of Europe’s diesel imports in 2025, Kpler data showed.

Russia banned diesel exports in July after Ukrainian drone attacks cut refinery production.

U.S. diesel stocks rose by about 600,000 barrels last week to 96.97 million barrels, but remained nearly 15 percent below the five-year average for the second week in September.

China’s diesel exports recovered to 320,000 barrels per day in August, their highest level in nearly 2.5 years, after earlier declines tied to export limits.

Published Sep 22, 2026 1:27 am KST

Out-of-service fuel nozzles are seen at a petrol station in Paris, France, Monday. Reuters-Yonhap

LONDON — Diesel prices have rallied in Europe and the United States to record highs as wars in Iran and Ukraine sharply cut exports from some of the biggest producers such as Russia, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, with little options to prevent further gains.

Diesel futures in Europe closed at an all-time high last week having more than double their level at the beginning of 2026, after supply disruptions spread to the Red Sea, where Saudi Arabia loads most of its diesel.

The wars in the Middle East and Ukraine have damaged oil refineries in the region, and refineries elsewhere are working hard to make fuels. In the United States for example, refineries operated at the highest level in eight years in late August, according to the International Energy Agency.

"A key issue is that many refineries around the world are already stretched to capacity," the International Energy Agency said in a newsletter on Monday. "This leaves few available options to prevent a further tightening of supplies and higher prices in the coming months."

Middle East diesel exports halved from March to August compared to a year earlier, averaging 800,000 barrels per day, according to shipping data from Kpler. The Middle East supplied nearly 41 percent of Europe’s diesel imports in 2025, Kpler data showed.

"Any further disruption to Red Sea flows risks tightening an already stretched global diesel market," said Kpler analyst George Shaw, adding that global diesel markets remain vulnerable as refining capacity continues to be the key pinch point.

Russia's refineries attacked, diesel exports banned

Russia banned diesel exports in July as Ukrainian drone attacks cut Russian refinery production.

Ukraine and Russia have continued attacks on each other's energy infrastructure despite an announcement by U.S. President Donald Trump last week that they had agreed to stop. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Sunday he will meet with Trump in the coming days.

Russia, the world's second biggest diesel exporter after the United States, supplied significant volumes of diesel to Turkey and Brazil before the ban, prompting such importers to seek alternative supplies since then.

In Europe - historically a net importer of diesel - stocks at the key refining and storage hub of Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp were at their lowest level for this time of the year on September 10, according to data from Insights Global.

US retail diesel price hits record high

In the U.S. average retail diesel prices climbed above $6 a gallon for the first time on record this month.

Inventories remain below normal seasonal levels, even as refiners have been running near full tilt. Although diesel stocks rose by roughly 600,000 barrels last week, at 96.97 million barrels they remain nearly 15 percent below the average for the last five years for the second week in September.

Asian diesel close to record

In Asia, diesel prices are elevated as a result of Middle East and Russian supply disruptions and close to record levels.

A benchmark for Asian diesel, diesel swaps, has eased from the March record high of more than $200 a barrel, hovering at around $180 a barrel on September 18. Current levels are still twice the pre-war values.

China's lower diesel exports in the aftermath of the Iran war likely tightened global supplies, as the country's shipments declined by 26 percent in April-June from a year earlier due to a government decision to limit refined product exports.

But China's diesel exports recovered to reach their highest in nearly 2.5 years in August at 320,000 bpd), resulting in lower domestic stocks.

由于伊朗和乌克兰的战争导致主要产油国的出口减少，炼油产能紧张，全球柴油价格在欧洲、美国和亚洲均创下历史新高。国际能源署表示，炼油产能已捉襟见肘，几乎没有办法阻止供应进一步收紧和价格上涨。美国零售柴油价格首次突破每加仑6美元，而亚洲柴油价格仍接近历史最高水平。

根据 Kpler 航运数据显示，中东柴油出口量从 3 月到 8 月减少了一半，平均每天减少 80 万桶。

Kpler 的数据显示，到 2025 年，中东将供应欧洲近 41% 的柴油进口。

乌克兰无人机袭击导致炼油厂产量下降后，俄罗斯于7月禁止了柴油出口。

上周美国柴油库存增加了约 60 万桶，达到 9697 万桶，但 9 月份第二周仍比五年平均水平低近 15%。

8月份，中国柴油出口量恢复至每日32万桶，为近2.5年来的最高水平，此前由于出口限制而出现下滑。

发布于2026年9月22日凌晨1点27分（韩国标准时间）

周一，在法国巴黎的一家加油站，可以看到一些无法使用的加油枪。路透社-韩联社

伦敦——由于伊朗和乌克兰的战争导致俄罗斯、沙特阿拉伯和阿拉伯联合酋长国等一些最大的柴油生产国的出口大幅下降，欧洲和美国的柴油价格已飙升至历史新高，而且几乎没有办法阻止价格进一步上涨。

上周，欧洲柴油期货价格收于历史新高，比 2026 年初的水平高出一倍多，原因是供应中断蔓延至红海，沙特阿拉伯的大部分柴油都从那里装载。

中东和乌克兰的战争破坏了该地区的炼油厂，而其他地区的炼油厂正在努力生产燃料。例如，据国际能源署称，8月下旬，美国的炼油厂开工率达到了八年来的最高水平。

国际能源署周一在一份简报中表示：“一个关键问题是，世界各地许多炼油厂的产能已经接近饱和。这使得未来几个月防止供应进一步紧张和价格上涨的办法寥寥无几。”

根据Kpler的航运数据显示，今年3月至8月，中东柴油出口量较上年同期下降一半，平均每日出口量为80万桶。Kpler的数据还显示，到2025年，中东将供应欧洲近41%的柴油进口量。

Kpler 分析师乔治·肖表示：“红海油流的任何进一步中断都可能加剧本已紧张的全球柴油市场。”他还补充说，由于炼油能力仍然是关键瓶颈，全球柴油市场仍然很脆弱。

俄罗斯炼油厂遭袭，柴油出口被禁

由于乌克兰无人机袭击导致俄罗斯炼油厂产量下降，俄罗斯于7月禁止了柴油出口。

尽管美国总统特朗普上周宣布乌克兰和俄罗斯已同意停止袭击，但两国仍继续互相攻击对方的能源基础设施。乌克兰总统泽连斯基周日表示，他将在未来几天与特朗普会面。

俄罗斯是仅次于美国的世界第二大柴油出口国，在禁令实施前曾向土耳其和巴西供应大量柴油，这促使这些进口国从那时起寻求替代供应。

根据 Insights Global 的数据，欧洲（历史上一直是柴油净进口地区）9 月 10 日，阿姆斯特丹-鹿特丹-安特卫普这一主要炼油和储存中心的柴油库存处于往年同期最低水平。

美国零售柴油价格创历史新高

本月，美国平均零售柴油价格有史以来首次突破每加仑 6 美元。

尽管炼油厂几乎满负荷运转，但库存仍低于正常的季节性水平。虽然上周柴油库存增加了约60万桶，但9月第二周的库存量为9697万桶，仍比过去五年的平均水平低近15%。

亚洲柴油价格接近历史最高水平

受中东和俄罗斯供应中断的影响，亚洲柴油价格高企，接近历史最高水平。

亚洲柴油价格基准——柴油互换价格，已从3月份创下的每桶200多美元的历史高位回落，9月18日徘徊在每桶180美元左右。目前的水平仍然是战前价格的两倍。

伊朗战争后，中国柴油出口减少，可能导致全球供应趋紧。由于政府决定限制成品油出口，中国4月至6月的柴油出货量比上年同期下降了26%。

但中国柴油出口在8月份恢复，达到近2.5年来的最高水平（32万桶/日），导致国内库存下降。