印度对沙特石油的需求减少

据4月6日彭博社报道，随着新冠肺炎疫情复苏，印度的需求将会下降，而两国之间的关系因油价而恶化，印度的国有炼油商正寻求减少从沙特阿拉伯购买原油。

这个世界第三大石油进口国的加工商已经寻求减少从沙特购买原油的数量。据这些炼油商负责采购原油的人士称，这些炼油商已寻求将5月供应量减少约三分之一的月均采购量。

4月5日，印度石油公司和其他三家加工商向沙特阿美公司发出了他们的请求，也就是所谓的提名，这些因公司政策而不愿透露姓名的人士表示。沙特阿美预计将在未来几天通知客户他们的分配情况。

近几个月来，印度已成为沙特在油价和欧佩克+产出政策上的强硬立场的公开批评者，日益加剧的紧张局势促使该国寻找替代原油来源。沙特阿拉伯国家石油公司上周提高了所有运往亚洲的石油的销售价格，尽管石油输出国组织已达成协议，将逐步向市场恢复更多的供应。

随着新冠肺炎继续以惊人的速度增长，印度的能源需求预计将减弱，导致地方政府考虑部分封锁和安全距离措施。知情人士说，一些炼油厂还计划关闭工厂进行维修工作，从而降低印度未来几个月的石油需求。

印度感染人数创历史新高，促使孟买在四月份实施了限制措施。他们说，他们表示，未来6个月石油产品用量可能缩减多达20%，此外季风的季节性影响也会减少燃料需求。

政府数据显示，去年印度进口的石油中约有86%来自欧佩克+成员国，19%来自沙特阿拉伯。印度政府已敦促加工商实现供应商多元化，导致炼油商从中东以外地区抢购更多货物。

冯于荣 摘译自 彭博社

原文如下：

India Seeks Less Saudi Oil as Virus Resurgence Dents Demand

State-run refiners in India are looking to buy less crude from Saudi Arabia as demand in the Asian nation is poised to dip amid a resurgence of Covid-19, and relations between the two countries sour over prices.

Processors in the world’s no. 3 oil importer have sought to reduce May supplies by about one-third of their average monthly purchases, according to people handling the procurement of crude at these refiners.

Indian Oil Corp. and three other processors sent their requests, also known as nominations, to Saudi Aramco on April 5, said the people who asked not to be named due to company policy. Aramco is expected to inform customers of their allocations in the coming days.

India has become a vocal critic of the kingdom’s hawkish stance on oil prices and OPEC+ output policy in recent months, with mounting tensions prompting the country to seek alternative sources of crude. Saudi Aramco last week raised selling prices for all Asia-bound shipments despite an agreement by OPEC+ to gradually return more supplies to the market.

Energy demand in India is expected to weaken as Covid-19 infections continue to rise at an alarming rate, leading local governments to consider partial lockdowns and safe-distancing measures. Some refiners also have plans to shut their plants for maintenance work, thereby lowering India’s oil requirements in the coming months, the people said.

See also: India Hits Record Infections Spurring Mumbai Curbs Through April

Petroleum product usage could shrink by as much as 20% over the next six months, they said, on top of the seasonal effect of the monsoon reducing fuel demand.

About 86% of Indian oil imports last year were from OPEC+ members, with 19% coming from Saudi Arabia, according to government data. New Delhi has urged its processors to diversify suppliers, leading to refiners snapping up more cargoes from outside the Middle East.