The G7, the European Union and Australia imposed the $60 per barrel cap last December on sea-borne exports of Russian crude in retaliation for Russia’s war on Ukraine.

Brent fell 42 cents, or 0.5%, to $83.82 a barrel, WTI fell 34 cents, or 0.4%, to $79.75 a barrel.

Brent rose 63 cents to $80.27 a barrel, WTI climbed 62 cents to $76.27 a barrel.

Benchmark futures settled 3.9% higher after another session of sharp price moves. Searing temperatures in parts of the region and global competition for liquefied natural gas continue to provide upward pressure — even as flows from Norway, Europe’s top supplier, return to levels last seen in April.

Brent had added 5 cents, or 0.1%, to $81.41 per barrel, WTI rose 9 cents, or 0.1%, to $76.98.

The Brent crude oil spot price will average $80 per barrel (b) in 4Q23 and $84/b in 2024.

According to price reporting agency Argus Media, Urals crude topped $60 a barrel on Wednesday, climbing above the cap that the Group of Seven set last year in an attempt to restrict revenue to Moscow’s war machine.

Brent were up 20 cents, or 0.3%, at $76.72 a barrel, WTI gained 19 cents, also 0.3%, to $71.99 a barrel.

UAE energy minister Suhail al-Mazrouei said the voluntary OPEC+ cuts would bear fruit soon and blamed the current market malaise on the disconnect between physical and paper traders.

Brent rose 16 cents or 0.2% to stand at $74.67, WTI gained 8 cents or 0.1% to $69.95.