(Repeats story with no changes)
By Nidhi Verma
NEW DELHI, Sept 16 (Reuters) - India's oil imports from
Africa jumped to their highest in 10 months in August as
refiners switched out more expensive crude from the Middle East,
shipping data provided by trade sources showed.
The world's third biggest oil importer shipped in about 3.95
million barrels per day (bpd) of oil in August, the highest
volume since April, with African nations accounting for about
17.5%, or an eleven month high of 688,000 bpd, the data showed.
"Spot prices of west African oil versus Brent were down in
the most part of July compared with June. That along with lower
freight offered an opportunity to buy Nigerian oil," said Ehsan
Ul Haq, analyst with Refinitiv.
He said in order to raise revenue, Nigeria was supplying
more oil in July than it pledged under a production cut
agreement between OPEC and its allies, while Angola was scouting
for a new market after the Chinese cut purchases. "And the new home was India."
An internal OPEC report showed Iraq and Nigeria were the
least compliant over the May-July period. Strengthening diesel cracks also prompted Indian refiners to
buy African grades, while an increase in official selling prices
by key gulf producers including Saudi Arabia deterred them, Haq
said.
India also shipped in Venezuelan oil in August after a gap
of two months as Reliance Industries RELI.NS obtained
permission from the U.S. to swap diesel for oil. Higher intake of Nigerian and Venezuelan oil lifted the
share of OPEC's oil in India's overall August imports to 77.6%,
the highest since January, from 67.2% last month, the data
showed.
OPEC's share was, however, at a record low over the
April-August period, the first five months of the fiscal year.
The share of Middle Eastern oil shrank to 62.4%, the lowest
in three months, from 71.3% last month, while that of Latin
America rose to 9.7% from 6.3%.
During the month Iraq remained the top oil supplier to India
followed by Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates. Nigeria,
which was the 8th largest supplier to India in July, rose to
No.4, pushing the U.S. to fifth position.
Kuwait stayed at No. 6 while Venezuela, replaced Colombia,
as the seventh top supplier.
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India-oil https://tmsnrt.rs/3c3CXPn
India-OPEC https://tmsnrt.rs/33yc5Dp
India-oil https://tmsnrt.rs/35MFwVb
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