泰国日本继续加大美国原油采购

Group 1 - Thai and Japanese refiners are actively increasing their procurement of U.S. crude oil for the remainder of the year, driven by the competitive pricing of low-sulfur U.S. crude and a desire to reduce dependence on Middle Eastern oil [1][2] - Thai refiners are diversifying their crude oil sources to mitigate the impact of geopolitical tensions that have significantly affected profitability, while Japanese refiners are also seeking to lessen their reliance on Middle Eastern oil amid escalating conflicts [1] - PTT, Thailand's state-owned oil giant, has established an "emergency team" to monitor global economic conditions and optimize procurement strategies, including increasing U.S. crude purchases [1] Group 2 - In August, Thailand imported 146,682 barrels per day of U.S. crude oil, a year-on-year increase of 44.7%, while the total imports from January to August rose by 30.5% to 151,250 barrels per day, accounting for nearly 16% of Thailand's total crude imports [2] - Japan's imports of U.S. crude oil in August were 68,918 barrels per day, a year-on-year decrease of 7.8%, but still above the three-year average; from January to August, imports increased by 42.9% to 85,017 barrels per day [2] - The pricing advantage of U.S. crude is driving demand from Thai and Japanese refiners, with the Brent-Dubai spread turning negative, indicating that various low-sulfur crudes from the Americas, North Sea, and Southeast Asia are more economically competitive than Middle Eastern crude [2] Group 3 - The increase in U.S. crude imports is also serving as a diplomatic tool to support trade negotiations; for instance, PTT's imports reached a record high of 7.3 million barrels in June, enhancing Thailand's strategic position in ongoing trade talks with the U.S. [3] - Thailand successfully reduced the U.S. reciprocal tariff from 36% to 19% effective August 6, which is expected to further strengthen its negotiating position by committing to import more U.S. crude [3] - Japan's significant increase in U.S. crude purchases is anticipated to provide leverage in future trade negotiations, despite the U.S. agreeing to impose a 15% import tariff on Japanese goods [3]