Indian Oil Corp. Ltd. said its first cargo of US crude oil is expected to arrive in eastern India by Oct. 1.
The Bergitta crude oil tanker was recently loaded in South Louisiana with 2 million bbl of “high-sulphur Mars crude oil.” Following a transfer to the New Prosperity crude tanker, the crude has a destination of Paradip, Odisha.
State-owned Indian Oil also said it bought a second cargo of 1.9 million bbl of US crude of Mars and Eagle Ford grades for delivery on the west coast at Vadinar, Gujarat, in early November.
India eased regulations on crude imports last year (OGJ Online, Apr. 7, 2016).
Indian Oil, which controls 11 of India’s 23 refineries, said the import effort is a “big leap” aimed at diversifying its crude oil sources and boosting the country’s energy security (OGJ Online, Feb. 2, 2017).