Argentina Crude Petroleum Export Market -- HS Code 2709 Trade Data & Price Trend (May 2025)

Argentina Crude Petroleum Export (HS 2709) Key Takeaways

Argentina's Crude Petroleum Export under HS Code 2709 in May 2025 reveals a volatile, high-concentration market. The export consists entirely of unprocessed crude oil, with value plunging to $1.02B after April's $3.89B peak. A handful of large buyers dominate trade, creating reliance risks, while shipments split between Chile (premium-priced) and the U.S. (bulk volume). This analysis is based on cleanly processed Customs data from the yTrade database for May 2025.

Argentina Crude Petroleum Export (HS 2709) Background

What is HS Code 2709?

HS Code 2709 covers Petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals, crude, a critical global commodity. It serves as the primary feedstock for refining into fuels, lubricants, and petrochemicals, driving steady demand across energy, transportation, and manufacturing sectors. Its trade dynamics are heavily influenced by geopolitical shifts, energy policies, and global supply-demand balances.

Current Context and Strategic Position

The Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (2025) Revision 5 [USITC] reflects ongoing adjustments to trade classifications, underscoring the need for vigilance in tracking hs code 2709 trade data. Argentina’s Crude Petroleum Export remains strategically significant due to its vast reserves and competitive pricing, positioning it as a key supplier in global markets. With energy security concerns rising, monitoring Argentina's crude petroleum export trends is essential for stakeholders navigating volatile commodity landscapes. The May 2025 analysis period demands close attention to policy shifts and market fluctuations.

Argentina Crude Petroleum Export (HS 2709) Price Trend

Key Observations

Argentina's crude petroleum exports in May 2025 totaled 1.02 billion USD, representing a sharp decline from the 3.89 billion USD recorded in April. This performance underscores a volatile start to the year for the Argentina Crude Petroleum Export trend.

Price and Volume Dynamics

The hs code 2709 value trend exhibited a sequential decline from January's 4.25 billion USD to March's 3.34 billion USD, followed by a modest recovery in April before the May plunge. This pattern aligns with typical market adjustments to external policy shifts, such as the March 2025 revisions to the U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule [U.S. International Trade Commission], which may have prompted recalibrations in trade flows and inventory management amid global crude oil demand cycles.

Argentina Crude Petroleum Export (HS 2709) HS Code Breakdown

Product Specialization and Concentration

Argentina's export under HS Code 2709 in May 2025 shows complete market concentration on a single product. According to yTrade data, the sub-code for crude petroleum oils dominates with a 100% share of both export value at 1.02 billion USD and quantity at 1.39 billion units, indicating no diversification within this code. Unit price information is not available, but the absolute specialization points to a trade focused solely on raw crude oil.

Value-Chain Structure and Grade Analysis

With only one sub-code present, the export structure for Argentina's HS Code 2709 is monolithic, consisting entirely of crude, unprocessed petroleum oils. This lack of variety confirms that the trade is in fungible bulk commodities, where products are standardized and typically linked to global oil price indices rather than being differentiated by quality or processing stage.

Strategic Implication and Pricing Power

The analysis of HS Code 2709 trade data reveals that Argentina's export strategy for crude petroleum is constrained by its commodity nature, limiting pricing power to external market forces. Exporters must prioritize operational efficiency and cost management, as competition hinges on volume and logistics rather than product uniqueness or value-added features.

Table: Argentina HS Code 2709) Breakdown Details (Source: yTrade)

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Argentina Crude Petroleum Export (HS 2709) Destination Countries

Geographic Concentration and Dominant Role

In May 2025, Argentina's Crude Petroleum exports show a clear split in dominance. Chile is the top destination by value, accounting for 45.44% of export value but only 1.20% of quantity, indicating trade in higher-grade or premium-priced crude. The United States leads in quantity with 70.53% share but a lower value share of 38.23%, suggesting bulk shipments of lower-end variants. Frequency is highest for Chile at 40.00%, pointing to regular, possibly smaller-scale shipments.

Destination Countries Clusters and Underlying Causes

The export partners form two main clusters. The High-Yield Cluster includes Chile, where high value share outweighs quantity, likely due to demand for premium crude grades. The Volume/Hub Cluster is led by the United States, with massive quantity share indicating bulk trade for refining or re-export. Other countries like Brazil, India, and Uruguay show moderate shares, with Brazil and India having balanced value and quantity, suggesting standard trade flows for Crude Petroleum.

Forward Strategy and Supply Chain Implications

To maximize returns, Argentina should prioritize high-margin markets like Chile while optimizing logistics for bulk buyers like the United States. Enhancing supply chain efficiency for frequent shipments to Chile could secure premium pricing. For HS Code 2709 trade data, focusing on value-driven partnerships will help capture better margins in Crude Petroleum exports from Argentina.

Table: Argentina Crude Petroleum (HS 2709) Top Destination Countries (Source: yTrade)

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Argentina Crude Petroleum (HS 2709) Buyers Analysis

Buyer Market Concentration and Dominance

According to yTrade data, the Argentina Crude Petroleum Export market in May 2025 was dominated by a small group of large-scale, regular buyers. These major importers accounted for the vast majority of the total export value, indicating a highly concentrated market structure. The typical trade for hs code 2709 involved very large, frequent shipments.

Strategic Buyer Clusters and Trade Role

The profile of the dominant HS code 2709 buyers points to a state-controlled or intermediated market. These are typically national oil companies or major international trading houses that manage large-volume contracts. The remaining segments of buyers include smaller, occasional purchasers and some regular but lower-volume traders, but their combined influence is limited compared to the core large buyers.

Sales Strategy and Vulnerability

For Argentina's Crude Petroleum Export strategy, the heavy reliance on a few major buyers creates significant vulnerability to demand shifts from those key partners. The sales model must focus on maintaining strong, long-term relationships with these core clients to ensure stable export revenue. Diversifying the buyer base by attracting more regular, mid-sized buyers could help reduce this concentration risk.

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Action Plan for Crude Petroleum Market Operation and Expansion

• Negotiate premium pricing for shipments to Chile using hs code 2709 trade data, as its high value share indicates demand for superior crude grades, which will directly boost margins for the Argentina Crude Petroleum Export.
• Optimize the Crude Petroleum supply chain for high-volume shipments to the United States by securing long-term freight contracts to reduce per-unit logistics costs and protect profitability against bulk price pressures.
• Diversify the buyer base by targeting mid-sized, regular importers identified in the trade data to reduce reliance on a few major clients and build a more resilient Argentina Crude Petroleum Export revenue stream.
• Invest in real-time tracking of global oil indices and buyer purchase frequencies to time shipments and contract negotiations for the Crude Petroleum supply chain, ensuring you capitalize on favorable price cycles.

Take Action Now —— Explore Argentina Crude Petroleum Export Data

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. What is driving the recent changes in Argentina Crude Petroleum Export 2025 May?

Argentina's crude petroleum exports dropped sharply to 1.02 billion USD in May 2025 from 3.89 billion USD in April, reflecting volatile global demand and policy shifts like the U.S. tariff revisions in March 2025.

Q2. Who are the main destination countries of Argentina Crude Petroleum (HS Code 2709) 2025 May?

Chile (45.44% value share) and the United States (38.23% value, 70.53% quantity) dominate, with Chile receiving premium-priced crude and the U.S. absorbing bulk shipments.

Q3. Why does the unit price differ across destination countries of Argentina Crude Petroleum Export?

Price differences stem from trade specialization: Chile imports higher-grade crude (high value, low quantity), while the U.S. receives standardized bulk shipments (low value, high quantity).

Q4. What should exporters in Argentina focus on in the current Crude Petroleum export market?

Exporters must prioritize long-term contracts with major buyers (national oil companies/trading houses) and optimize logistics for high-margin markets like Chile to mitigate concentration risks.

Q5. What does this Argentina Crude Petroleum export pattern mean for buyers in partner countries?

Buyers in Chile benefit from premium crude access, while U.S. buyers secure bulk supply stability. Both face reliance on Argentina’s undiversified export structure, limiting negotiation flexibility.

Q6. How is Crude Petroleum typically used in this trade flow?

Argentina’s crude petroleum exports are fungible bulk commodities, primarily destined for refining or re-export, with no value-added processing in the export stage.