俄罗斯进口禁令后，美国炼油商转向中东获取燃料油

HOUSTON, March 24 (Reuters) - U.S. refiners have begun snapping up fuel oil cargoes from the Middle East this month after U.S. President Joe Biden banned Russian oil imports over the country's invasion of Ukraine, shipping data showed.

The United States last year imported about 700,000 barrels per day (bpd) of different types of fuel oil and other feedstocks that mostly went to U.S. Gulf Coast refineries to supplement heavy crude oil, according to market research data.

Russia last year accounted for just under half of U.S. fuel oil imports, Mexico for 20% and the Middle East about 5%, according to data from research firm Kpler.

Middle East supplies are set to make up at least 17% of April U.S. fuel oil purchases, according to preliminary Refinitiv Eikon tanker tracking data.

U.S. GULF COAST BUYERS

About 4 million barrels from Middle East suppliers are set to discharge along the U.S. Gulf Coast next month, the highest level in at least 12 years. For all of last year, they supplied a total of 13 million barrels, according to Kpler.

"It's a clear sign that we're seeing a shift in where the United States is buying fuel oil from," said Kpler analyst Matt Smith. The United States could struggle to plug the gap left by Russia, Smith said, given the loss of Russia fuel oil imports.

Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq and the United Arab Emirates make up roughly half of all fuel oil cargoes under contract and expected to head to the United States in April, the data showed. At least one cargo was scheduled to discharge in May.

Imports of fuel oil from Mexico into the United States are also expected to rise in April, analysts said, but the cargo tracking data has not yet shown the increase as scheduling from Mexico is typically very dynamic due to short routes.

IRAQI BARRELS

Cargo from the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait due to discharge in April would be the first in at last eight months, while March marks the first time Iraqi fuel oil will arrive in the United States since mid 2021, Refinitiv data showed.

U.S. officials have been pressing other oil suppliers to boost exports. Some diplomats met with Venezuelan officials this month over the possible return of Venezuela's heavy crude to the U.S. Gulf Coast. Refiners also have reached out to Ecuador for additional heavy crude cargoes.

"There may well be a game of musical chairs in the months ahead, as Russian fuel oil is redirected away from the U.S. and to the Middle East, while the Middle East sends more to the U.S. instead," Smith said.

Reporting by Arathy Somasekhar in Houston; Editing by David Gregorio.

休斯顿，3 月 24 日（路透社）——航运数据显示，在美国总统乔·拜登（Joe Biden）因该国入侵乌克兰而禁止俄罗斯石油进口后，美国炼油厂本月开始抢购来自中东的燃料油船货。

根据市场研究数据，美国去年每天进口约 700,000 桶不同类型的燃料油和其他原料，这些原料主要运往美国墨西哥湾沿岸的炼油厂以补充重质原油。

根据研究公司 Kpler 的数据，去年俄罗斯占美国燃料油进口量的不到一半，墨西哥占 20%，中东约占 5%。

根据路孚特 Eikon 油轮跟踪数据，中东供应量将至少占美国 4 月份燃料油采购量的 17%。

美国墨西哥湾沿岸买家

来自中东供应商的约 400 万桶原油将于下个月沿美国墨西哥湾沿岸排放，为至少 12 年来的最高水平。据克普勒称，去年全年，他们总共供应了 1300 万桶石油。

Kpler 分析师马特史密斯说：“这是一个明显的迹象，表明我们正在看到美国从哪里购买燃料油的转变。” 史密斯说，鉴于俄罗斯燃料油进口的减少，美国可能难以填补俄罗斯留下的缺口。

数据显示，沙特阿拉伯、科威特、伊拉克和阿拉伯联合酋长国约占所有合同燃料油货物的一半，预计将于 4 月运往美国。至少有一批货物计划在 5 月卸货。

分析师表示，预计 4 月份从墨西哥到美国的燃料油进口量也将增加，但货物跟踪数据尚未显示增加，因为由于航线较短，从墨西哥的调度通常非常活跃。

伊拉克桶

Refinitiv 数据显示，原定于 4 月卸货的来自阿拉伯联合酋长国和科威特的货物将是过去八个月以来的第一批货物，而 3 月标志着伊拉克燃料油自 2021 年年中以来首次抵达美国。

美国官员一直在敦促其他石油供应商增加出口。一些外交官本月会见了委内瑞拉官员，讨论委内瑞拉重质原油可能返回美国墨西哥湾沿岸的问题。炼油商也已向厄瓜多尔寻求额外的重质原油货物。

“未来几个月很可能会出现抢椅子游戏，因为俄罗斯燃料油从美国转向中东，而中东则向美国输送更多燃料，”史密斯说。

美国从俄罗斯进口的燃料和原油不到 10%。其中，最大份额的进口是炼油厂用于加工成其他商品的未成品油。