Comparing a Turkish bitumen 60/70 supplier vs Russian supply alternative comes down to two factors: compliance exposure and export trend. Turkish refiners like Tupras sold over 500,000t of bitumen on 2025 tenders, while Russian oil product exports fell to a record low in July 2026 and face UK and EU origin-documentation requirements. Bitumen 60/70 is the penetration grade tested to ASTM D946/D946M and BS EN 12591:2009, and it is the grade BHD Group supplies.
For buyers comparing a Turkish bitumen 60/70 supplier vs Russian supply alternative, the practical difference is compliance exposure, not just price: sanctions on Russian-origin crude and refined products have tightened import routes, while Turkish refining capacity has kept penetration-grade bitumen 60/70 flowing on documented, tender-tested terms. This page sets out what the grade means, what buyers should check before ordering, and where Turkish-origin supply fits against the Russian alternative.
Who this comparison is for
This guide is written for the people who actually sign off a bitumen order: road-construction and asphalt-plant procurement managers sourcing penetration-grade binder for paving programs; roofing and waterproofing buyers specifying bitumen for membrane and coating production; and compliance or logistics leads who need to confirm an import route is clean before a shipment moves. Each of these readers is asking a slightly different question, and each gets a direct answer below.
What is bitumen 60/70, and why does origin matter now
Bitumen 60/70 is a penetration grade: the "60/70" refers to the penetration test result, in decimillimeters, of a weighted needle pressed into the binder sample under standard conditions (Asphalt Pavement Alliance, undated). The test method is set out in ASTM D946/D946M, the standard specification covering penetration-graded asphalt cement for pavement construction (ASTM International, 2025). In Europe, BS EN 12591:2009 provides the parallel framework for specifying paving-grade bitumen properties and test methods, plus conformity evaluation (BSI, 2009). Bitumen 60/70 is the grade BHD Group supplies.
Origin has become a live procurement question because of sanctions. According to UK Department for Business & Trade (undated), UK measures cover oil products processed in third countries using Russian crude oil, and importers must provide evidence to demonstrate compliance. According to Argus Media (2026), EU sanctions effective January 21, 2026 are billed as banning oil products made from Russian crude regardless of where the refining happens. A buyer who cannot trace crude origin through the refining chain now carries a compliance risk that did not exist a few years ago.
Turkish bitumen 60/70 supplier: what the market data shows
Turkish refining has stepped into the gap left by shrinking Russian bitumen flows into Europe. According to Argus Media (2024), Turkish refiner Tupras agreed 2025 annual tender sales totalling well over 500,000 tonnes of bitumen from its Izmit and Izmir refineries to leading international trading and supply firms. That volume signals a refining base capable of sustained, tender-tested export supply, not spot-only trading.
Russian supply alternative: what the market data shows
The Russian side of the comparison has moved in the opposite direction. According to CREA (2026), Russian oil product export loadings fell 23% to 4.7 million tonnes in July 2026, their lowest level on record and less than half the 9.6 million tonnes loaded in July 2025. Separately, according to Argus Media (2023), Mediterranean bitumen exports to northwest Europe reached 995,000 tonnes year to date, up from 819,000t in 2022 and 516,000t in 2021, partly because of a lack of Russian bitumen imports since sanctions took effect. Buyers who priced around Russian-origin material in 2021 are now pricing around Mediterranean and Turkish-origin supply instead.
Standards a buyer should check
Before comparing a Turkish bitumen 60/70 supplier price against any other quote, confirm the grade is being tested and documented against a recognized standard. The table below lines up the standards referenced in this guide.
| Standard | What it measures | Why a buyer checks it |
|---|---|---|
| ASTM D946/D946M | Specification for penetration-graded asphalt cement for pavement construction | Confirms the grade classification method the supplier is testing against (ASTM International, 2025) |
| AASHTO T 49 / ASTM D946 penetration test | Penetration of a weighted needle into the binder sample, in decimillimeters | The underlying test that produces the "60/70" figure itself (Asphalt Pavement Alliance, undated) |
| BS EN 12591:2009 | Specification framework and test methods for paving-grade bitumens, plus conformity evaluation | The European reference standard for specifying and verifying paving-grade bitumen (BSI, 2009) |
Turkish origin vs Russian alternative: a side-by-side view
| Factor | Turkish-origin bitumen 60/70 | Russian supply alternative |
|---|---|---|
| Export volume trend | Tupras alone agreed over 500,000t in 2025 tender sales (Argus Media, 2024) | Export loadings down 23% year-on-year to a record low in July 2026 (CREA, 2026) |
| Regulatory exposure | Not the origin targeted by UK or EU Russian-crude measures | Subject to UK third-country processed-oil measures and EU sanctions on Russian-crude-derived products effective January 2026 (GOV.UK, undated; Argus Media, 2026) |
| Documentation burden on importer | Standard commercial and quality documentation against ASTM/EN grade specs | Additional evidence required to demonstrate crude-origin compliance (GOV.UK, undated) |
What to check before you order
- Confirm the penetration-grade test result and method (ASTM D946 / AASHTO T 49) on the certificate of analysis.
- Ask whether the batch has been tested against BS EN 12591:2009 or an equivalent framework relevant to your project geography.
- Request documented crude origin, especially for shipments moving into UK or EU jurisdictions.
- Check the refinery of origin and whether the volumes quoted are tender-based or spot-only.
- Clarify Incoterms, loading port, and vessel or transport documentation before agreeing a turkish bitumen 60/70 supplier price.
- Confirm packaging or bulk-transport method matches your plant's receiving capability.
- Ask any turkish bitumen 60/70 supplier alternatives you shortlist for the same penetration-grade certificate, so quotes are compared like for like.
Quick facts
- Bitumen 60/70 is a penetration grade tested to ASTM D946/D946M and, in Europe, BS EN 12591:2009.
- Penetration is measured in decimillimeters using a weighted-needle test (AASHTO T 49 / ASTM D946).
- Turkish refiner Tupras agreed over 500,000t of 2025 bitumen tender sales from Izmit and Izmir (Argus Media, 2024).
- Russian oil product export loadings fell 23% year-on-year to a record low of 4.7 million tonnes in July 2026 (CREA, 2026).
- UK and EU measures place documentation and origin-verification burdens on Russian-crude-derived oil products (GOV.UK, undated; Argus Media, 2026).
- Bitumen 60/70 is the grade BHD Group supplies.
Working with BHD Group
BHD Group operates as one accountable house across two divisions, BHD Chemical and BHD Sourcing. Bitumen 60/70 sits within the BHD Chemical range, alongside the wax and rubber-process-oil grades the business is built around. On a turkish bitumen 60/70 supplier vs russian supply alternative decision, buyers get a straight answer: the grade supplied, the standard it is tested against, and origin documentation on request. No broker vagueness, no over-promised timelines — dependable by nature, on spec and on time.
Sources
- ASTM International (2025) — Standard Specification for Penetration-Graded Asphalt Binder for Use in Pavement Construction — store.astm.org/d0946_d0946m-25a.html
- Asphalt Pavement Alliance / Asphalt Paving Handbook (undated) — 3.2 Asphalt Binder: Grading Systems And Properties — handbook.asphaltpavement.org
- BSI / ANSI Webstore (2009) — BS EN 12591:2009 Bitumen and bituminous binders — webstore.ansi.org/standards/bsi/BSEN125912009
- UK Department for Business & Trade / GOV.UK (undated) — Guidance on third country processed oil product measures — gov.uk
- Argus Media (2024) — Tupras agrees more than 500kt 2025 bitumen tender sales — argusmedia.com
- Argus Media (2023) — Med bitumen exports to NW Europe to pass 1mn t in 2023 — argusmedia.com
- Argus Media (2026) — New EU oil sanctions spark spiralling complexity — argusmedia.com
- Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (2026) — July 2026 monthly analysis of Russian fossil fuel exports and sanctions — energyandcleanair.org
Frequently asked questions
What is turkish bitumen 60/70 supplier vs russian supply alternative?
It is a procurement comparison between sourcing penetration-grade bitumen 60/70 from Turkish refining capacity versus continuing to buy Russian-origin material. Bitumen 60/70 is a standard penetration grade tested to ASTM D946/D946M and, in Europe, BS EN 12591:2009. Turkish refiner Tupras alone agreed over 500,000t of 2025 tender sales (Argus Media, 2024), while Russian export loadings fell to a record low in July 2026 (CREA, 2026).
How does turkish bitumen 60/70 supplier vs russian supply alternative work?
A buyer requests the penetration-grade certificate (ASTM D946 / AASHTO T 49 test result) and origin documentation from each supplier being compared. For Russian-linked supply, UK and EU rules require additional evidence that the product does not derive from Russian crude, per GOV.UK guidance and Argus Media's 2026 reporting on EU sanctions effective January 21, 2026. Turkish-origin bitumen 60/70, such as the grade BHD Group supplies, is not the origin targeted by those measures, which simplifies the documentation a buyer must produce.
What are the benefits of turkish bitumen 60/70 supplier vs russian supply alternative?
The main benefits are lower compliance exposure and a steadier, tender-tested export base. Mediterranean bitumen exports to northwest Europe grew from 516,000t in 2021 to 995,000t year to date, partly filling the gap left by reduced Russian bitumen imports under sanctions (Argus Media, 2023). Turkish refining, evidenced by Tupras's 2025 tender volumes, gives buyers a documented, standards-tested alternative without the origin-verification burden attached to Russian-crude-derived products.
Why buyers work with BHD Group
Two divisions operate under a single accountable house. There is no handoff between a trading desk and a sourcing desk that leaves a buyer chasing an answer — one team owns the order from enquiry to delivery.
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