Argentina Crude Petroleum Export Market -- HS Code 270900 Trade Data & Price Trend (Feb 2025)

Argentina Crude Petroleum Export (HS 270900) Key Takeaways

Argentina's Crude Petroleum exports under HS Code 270900 in February 2025 were dominated by bulk crude oil, with Chile as the premium buyer, paying higher prices for a small share of volume while the U.S., UAE, and Uruguay drove bulk shipments. Export values dipped to $3.73 billion, reflecting short-term market softening, with pricing power tied to global oil benchmarks. The trade remains highly concentrated in a single product variant, leaving Argentina exposed to commodity volatility. This analysis, based on cleanly processed Customs data from the yTrade database, highlights a dual-market strategy—maximizing premium revenue from Chile while securing volume contracts elsewhere.

Argentina Crude Petroleum Export (HS 270900) Background

What is HS Code 270900?

HS Code 270900 refers to Petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals, crude, a critical commodity in global energy markets. This product is primarily used for refining into fuels, lubricants, and petrochemical feedstocks, driving steady demand due to its foundational role in transportation and industrial sectors. Its trade dynamics are closely tied to global oil prices, geopolitical stability, and energy policies.

Current Context and Strategic Position

Argentina's Crude Petroleum Export remains a key component of its trade portfolio, with recent data from [WITS Data] highlighting its position in global merchandise trade. The country's strategic significance stems from its untapped reserves and potential to capitalize on shifting energy markets. Monitoring hs code 270900 trade data is essential, as Argentina's export performance can be influenced by domestic production trends, international price fluctuations, and evolving trade policies. Vigilance is warranted to assess opportunities and risks in this volatile sector.

Argentina Crude Petroleum Export (HS 270900) Price Trend

Key Observations

In February 2025, Argentina's Crude Petroleum exports declined to 3.73 billion USD, down from 4.25 billion USD in January, with the unit price easing to $1.27 per kg from $1.28 per kg. This dip in the hs code 270900 value trend reflects a broader contraction in export momentum early in the year.

Price and Volume Dynamics

The sequential drop in both value and volume during February aligns with typical post-harvest or inventory adjustment phases in commodity markets, possibly influenced by fluctuating global oil demand or domestic production cycles. While no specific policy shifts are cited, general trade data from [WITS World Bank] highlights Argentina's ongoing export volatility, which may stem from currency effects or competitive pressures in energy markets. This Argentina Crude Petroleum Export trend suggests a cautious start to 2025, with MoM declines pointing to short-term headwinds rather than structural shifts.

Argentina Crude Petroleum Export (HS 270900) HS Code Breakdown

Product Specialization and Concentration

In February 2025, Argentina's export activities under HS Code 270900 are almost entirely concentrated on a single product variant, specifically crude petroleum oils. According to yTrade data, this variant accounted for 100% of the export value and weight, and nearly 99% of shipment frequency, with a unit price of 1.27 USD per kilogram, which aligns with typical crude oil benchmarks. Two minor variants were recorded with significantly higher unit prices, such as 32.43 USD per kilogram, but these are isolated anomalies with negligible volume shares, effectively removed from the main analysis pool.

Value-Chain Structure and Grade Analysis

The market structure for Argentina's HS Code 270900 exports is characterized by a homogeneous bulk commodity trade, dominated by standard crude petroleum oil. The negligible presence of other variants, with unit prices ranging up to 4.91 USD per kilogram, suggests possible specialized grades or minor processing differences, but their impact is minimal. This pattern confirms that the trade is primarily in fungible goods, closely linked to global oil price indices, with no significant value-add stages or product differentiation.

Strategic Implication and Pricing Power

Analyzing HS Code 270900 trade data reveals that pricing power for Argentina's exports is heavily influenced by international crude oil markets, with little leverage from product differentiation. Strategic focus should prioritize maintaining cost efficiency and market access for the dominant bulk product, as diversification into minor variants offers limited upside. This concentration simplifies supply chain decisions but increases exposure to commodity price volatility.

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Argentina Crude Petroleum Export (HS 270900) Destination Countries

Geographic Concentration and Dominant Role

Chile was the dominant destination for Argentina's Crude Petroleum exports in February 2025. It held a 41.42% share of the total export value but only a 0.88% share of the quantity. This large gap, where the value share is massively higher than the quantity share, points to Chile purchasing higher-grade or more refined types of Crude Petroleum at a premium price. The United States was the next largest partner by value, accounting for 25.8% of exports.

Destination Countries Clusters and Underlying Causes

The data reveals two clear clusters for Argentina's Crude Petroleum shipments. The first is a High-Yield Cluster, consisting solely of Chile, which is focused on high-value barrels. The second is a Volume Cluster, comprised of the United States (42.83% quantity share), United Arab Emirates (19.58%), and Uruguay (16.11%). These partners account for the vast majority of the export volume, indicating their role as bulk buyers of more standard crude. A third, smaller Transactional Cluster includes Brazil and the Netherlands, which have a high frequency of shipments relative to their value share, suggesting regular, smaller-volume purchases.

Forward Strategy and Supply Chain Implications

For Argentina's Crude Petroleum export strategy, the priority should be to maintain its premium pricing relationship with Chile. For the high-volume partners like the United States, UAE, and Uruguay, the focus should be on securing long-term contracts and optimizing logistics for bulk sea transport to ensure competitive delivery costs. The trade data for HS Code 270900 shows a market split between premium and bulk buyers, requiring a dual approach to maximize revenue from high-value sales and volume from large-scale shipments.

Table: Argentina Crude Petroleum (HS 270900) Top Destination Countries (Source: yTrade)

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Action Plan for Crude Petroleum Market Operation and Expansion

• Negotiate long-term premium pricing contracts with Chilean buyers using hs code 270900 trade data to lock in higher margins, as this relationship is the primary driver of value for the Argentina Crude Petroleum Export.
• Secure volume-based supply agreements with bulk buyers like the U.S. and UAE to guarantee stable offtake, ensuring the Crude Petroleum supply chain operates at maximum capacity and efficiency.
• Optimize the Crude Petroleum supply chain for bulk sea freight to high-volume destinations to reduce average shipping costs, which is critical for maintaining competitiveness in low-margin, high-volume trades.
• Continuously monitor hs code 270900 trade data for spot price fluctuations and geopolitical events to hedge against commodity price volatility, protecting the revenue stream of Argentina's Crude Petroleum Export.

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 February?

Argentina's Crude Petroleum exports declined to 3.73 billion USD in February 2025, down from 4.25 billion USD in January, with a slight drop in unit price. This reflects broader commodity market volatility, likely due to fluctuating global oil demand or domestic production cycles.

Q2. Who are the main destination countries of Argentina Crude Petroleum (HS Code 270900) 2025 February?

Chile was the top destination (41.42% value share), followed by the United States (25.8%). Chile's purchases were high-value, while the U.S., UAE, and Uruguay dominated bulk volume shipments.

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

The price gap stems from Chile buying premium-grade crude (32.43 USD/kg) versus bulk buyers like the U.S. purchasing standard crude (1.27 USD/kg). The market is split between high-value and volume-driven transactions.

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

Exporters should prioritize maintaining premium pricing with Chile while securing long-term contracts for bulk buyers like the U.S. and UAE to stabilize revenue streams amid price volatility.

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

Chilean buyers access high-grade crude at a premium, while bulk buyers (U.S., UAE, Uruguay) benefit from stable, large-volume shipments of standard crude. Smaller buyers like Brazil and the Netherlands receive frequent, smaller orders.

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

Argentina’s exports under HS Code 270900 are primarily standard crude petroleum oils, a fungible commodity used globally for refining into fuels, lubricants, and petrochemical feedstocks.