Gazprom Neft Ships 11 mln T of Arctic oil via NSR

Russia's Gazprom Neft is currently shipping around 11 million tonnes of oil per year (220,000 barrels per day) using the Northern Sea Route (NSR) and plans to increase this number, Chief Executive Alexander Dyukov told Rossiya-24 TV channel.

He said that in total, Gazprom Neft is producing 18 million tonnes of oil per year in the Russia's Arctic area. Dyukov did not say which way - to Europe or Asia - the company is shipping the oil using the NSR.

Russian oil producer Lukoil has sold a cargo of Varandey Blend crude to a Chinese buyer with the shipment sailing via Arctic waters in an unusual trade flow, according to industry sources and shipping data.

(Reporting by Katya Golubkova; editing by David Evans)