报道称200万桶委内瑞拉原油将抵印，替代俄油或成趋势

Core Insights - Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation (HPCL) have jointly procured 2 million barrels of Venezuelan Merey crude oil from Trafigura, with deliveries expected in the latter half of Q2 2024 [2] - This marks HPCL's first purchase of Venezuelan crude, while IOC has previously engaged in similar transactions [2] - The procurement reflects Indian refiners' strategy to diversify imports, partially replacing Russian oil, and aligns with India's trade agreement efforts with the U.S. [2] Company Actions - IOC is set to acquire approximately 1.5 million barrels, while HPCL will procure 0.5 million barrels, all to be transported by a single large tanker [2] - HPCL plans to utilize Venezuelan heavy oil at its Visakhapatnam refinery in Andhra Pradesh, which has a capacity of 300,000 barrels per day and has completed heavy oil upgrades [2] - IOC has previously processed Merey crude at its Paradip refinery in Odisha [2] Pricing and Market Context - The pricing of the Venezuelan crude is indexed to Dubai prices, similar to the discount Reliance Industries received when purchasing from Vitol, which was approximately $6.50 to $7 below ICE Brent [2] - The U.S. has lifted a 25% tariff on Indian goods in exchange for India's commitment to halt direct or indirect imports of Russian oil, although India has not officially announced a cessation of Russian oil purchases [2][3]