Indian Oil Corp bought six million barrels of crude from West Africa and the Middle East, traders said, as the Asian country steered clear of Russian oil in New Delhi’s push for a trade deal with Washington.
Indian refiners are not taking March-April Russian crude offers, and are expected to stay away from such trades for longer, refining and trade sources said.
IOC bought Angola’s Pazflor crude and Nigeria’s Agbami crude from Totsa, the trading arm of TotalEnergies. It also bought Nigeria’s Akpo and Bonny Light crude from Shell, two of the traders said.
In addition, it purchased two millon barrels from Mercuria, the Upper Zakum crude produced in the United Arab Emirates. The purchases were done via tenders issued last week and for April-delivery, they added.
Indian companies and traders do not comment on spot tenders due to a confidentiality clause.
