Khaberni - Three sources reported that Middle East producers have requested Asian refineries to submit crude oil loading schedules for April and May in preparation for the eventual resumption of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
A two-week ceasefire agreement between the United States and Iran, announced on Wednesday, raised hopes for the reopening of the strait, through which about 20% of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas supplies passed before the war.
So far, there has been no indication that Tehran will end its near-complete closure of this vital waterway, a closure that has caused a sharp rise in energy prices.
Two sources stated that Saudi Aramco has asked its customers to submit orders for shipments from the ports of Yanbu and Ras Tanura in May.
One of them explained that this is contingent on resuming exports from the eastern port of Ras Tanura, which requires ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.
The sources requested anonymity because they are not authorized to speak to the media.
ARAMCO informed buyers last month that it was only possible to ship crude oil in April from the western port of Yanbu on the Red Sea. The company's oil production flows to Yanbu through an east-west pipeline.
However, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Thursday, citing an official source in the Ministry of Energy, that attacks on energy facilities in the country resulted in a reduction in oil production by about 600,000 barrels per day and a decrease in crude flow through the east-west pipeline by about 700,000 barrels per day.
Kuwait and Iraq
On another note, two sources mentioned that Kuwait Oil Company has set shipping dates for Kuwaiti crude oil for export on a freight-on-board basis in April.
One of them said that the shipment nominations are being prepared and will be determined based on the customers' ability to receive the shipments.
Last month, Kuwait Oil Company declared force majeure on delivered crude oil supplies, as tankers could not enter the Gulf and receive the oil.
It was not possible to contact ARAMCO or Kuwait Oil Company for comments outside business hours.
Earlier this week, the Iraqi state oil marketing company (SOMO) requested its customers to submit loading schedules following media reports that Iran had exempted Iraq from restrictions on passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
Asian refining and trading companies are looking for tankers to load crude oil from the Gulf region in the coming days following the ceasefire announcement.
Commodity trading company Glencore and the Taiwanese state-owned refinery CPC have each chartered a tanker to load crude oil from the Middle East to Asia, and Indian and South Korean refining companies are looking for tankers to load Iraqi crude oil this month.
