According to Nikkei Asian Review, Aramco did not specify a reason for the change in oil grade supplied to Japan’s biggest refiner from light to heavy and medium starting October.
JXTG officials suspect that Aramco is taking more time than expected to fix its desulfurization facility, which is necessary to produce light-grade crude used in the production of gasoline and light gas oil, the newspaper said.
At least three supertankers that loaded crude in Saudi Arabia this week for China and India had their crude grades switched from light to heavy oil while more buyers in Asia have been asked to delay shipments and switch grades in September and October, Reuters reported, citing sources and data from Refinitiv and Kpler.
The Sept. 14 attacks on the Abqaiq and Khurais plants, some of the kingdom’s biggest, caused raging fires and significant damage that halved the crude output of the world’s top oil exporter, by shutting down 5.7 million barrels per day of production.
According to some sources in Saudi Arabia, its return to full oil supply capacity after Saturday’s attacks on Aramco oil plants could take “weeks not days”.
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