U.S. refiners imported about 1.3 million barrels per day (bpd) of crude and fuel oil from Latin America in April, the highest level in seven months according to U.S. customs data, as buyers began to replace Russian supplies.
In March, the US banned imports of Russian crude and refined products due to the invasion of Ukraine, setting April 22 as the final date for purchases.
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen urged companies to adopt “friendly” supply chains, or to buy from trusted countries.
Fuel oil imports from Latin America averaged 200,000 bpd in March and April, 49% up on the previous 12 months.
Mexico’s share of US fuel oil imports rose to about 27% in March and April from 19% a year earlier, the data showed.
About 15 ships offloaded 159,000 bpd of Mexican fuel oil in Louisiana, California, Texas and Florida, supplying Exxon Mobil Corp, Chevron Corp and Marathon Petroleum Corp, among others.
Russia supplied about 135,000 bpd, or 5.5% of total US oil imports last year, and 155,350 bpd, or 29%, of fuel oil imports, according to customs data from Refinitiv Eikon.
US oil imports from Latin America also rose in April to 1.34 million bpd, the highest level in six months. Purchases from Argentina hit a four-year high, while imports from Colombia hit their highest level since September 2020.
Cargoes of sweet Medanito oil from Argentina arrived at Valero Energy Corp’s Benicia refinery in California and Phillips 66’s Ferndale refinery in Washington.
About 1 million barrels of Argentina’s Escalante oil was also offloaded at Par Hawaii Refining’s Honolulu plant.
About 1.8 million barrels of Colombian crude were supplied to processors, including PBF Energy Inc’s Delaware City refineries and Valero’s St Charles refineries.
Marathon, Exxon and Phillips 66 declined to comment. Chevron, Valero and PBF did not respond to a request for comment.
Source: CNN Brasil
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