US EditionIndia's MRPL scouts for Venezuelan oil as it halts Russian imports
MRPL stopped Russian crude imports due to Western sanctions and is considering Venezuelan oil if terms are favorable; about 40% of its crude is from the Middle East, officials said.
- Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd said on January 19 it stopped importing Russian crude to comply with Western sanctions and is exploring Venezuelan crude purchases.
- U.S. sanctions in October forced many Indian refiners to halt or reduce Russian imports, as United States government and European Union rules pressured buyers to retreat from Rosneft and Lukoil crude.
- Data show India's Urals imports dropped to 929,000 barrels per day in December from averages of 1.36 million and 1.27 million, while China’s seaborne shipments exceeded 1.5 million barrels per day.
- MRPL is shifting strategy by expanding retail sales to 500 outlets in three years and 1,000 in five, while Vitol and Trafigura offer March Venezuelan cargoes at $8-$8.50 ICE Brent discounts.
- Dozens of tankers are now idling off Oman and the Arabian Sea as policy shifts including U.S. licences and the European Union's $44.10 price cap reroute barrels toward Venezuelan crude.
16 Articles
16 Articles
China Absorbs Russia’s Discounted Urals Crude After Indian Refiners Step Away
China has sharply increased its imports of Russia’s Urals crude oil as Indian refiners—previously the largest buyers of the grade—scale back their purchases due to sanctions-related risks, according to a report by Baird Maritime on January 19. Seaborne shipments of Russian crude to China exceeded 1.5 million barrels per day in December, roughly 300,000 barrels per day above the January–November average. Every article pushes back against disinfo…
Against the background of Western sanctions.
India’s retreat from Russian oil sends China’s Urals imports to a nearly three-year high
Chinas appetite for Russian Urals crude is surging, reaching its peak since June 2023. This uptick follows India's substantial drop in Russian oil imports attributed to stringent Western sanctions and an approaching EU oil product ban. Chinese independent refiners are capitalizing on the discounted crude, which is increasingly attractive compared to pricier Iranian options.
energynewsbeat.co
Europe SaysVitol Offers Venezuelan Crude Oil to China at Narrower Discount around $5 per Barrel
In a significant shift for global energy markets, Vitol, the world’s largest independent oil trader, has begun offering Venezuelan Merey heavy sour crude to Chinese refiners at a narrowed discount of approximately $5 per barrel to ICE Brent. This move comes amid broader changes in Venezuela’s oil sector following the U.S.-led capture of former President Nicolás Maduro on January 3, 2026, and the subsequent easing of sanctions that has allowed ma…
Indian refinery abandons Russian oil in favor of Venezuelan Indian company Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd is considering purchasing Venezuelan oil, having stopped importing Russian raw materials due to sanctions. MRPL complies with sanctions and does not import Russian oil.
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