US crude getting tender treatment overseas

More and more US crude is finding its way onto tender target lists worldwide, and it is not just the light, sweet variety poised to inundate the Gulf coast.

Last week, Taiwanese refiner Formosa listed US Gulf of Mexico medium sours Mars and Southern Green Canyon on a crude purchase tender alongside more traditional options like Iraqi Basrah Light and Oman Blend. Formosa, which has not bought North American crude before, sought cargoes for September loading on an fob basis or 25 September-25 October delivery on a cfr basis. The tender closed yesterday.

Taiwanese state-controlled refiner CPC bought light WTI Midland in May, and other Asia-Pacific refiners have taken crude ranging from light Eagle Ford to heavy Western Canadian Select (WCS) in recent months.

US crude has become more competitive for buyers in India after its established suppliers in the Middle East curbed supplies, putting upward pressure on benchmark prices.

Earlier this month, Indian state-controlled refiner Bharat Petroleum became the second Indian company this month to buy high-sulfur US crude for the first time, awarding a spot tender to a US company offering 500,000 bl of Mars and 500,000 bl of Poseidon. It issued a light crude tender this week seeking light crude, such as Eagle Ford, Bakken and Canadian Syncrude.

State-controlled IOC, the country's biggest refiner, will take 1.6mn bl of Mars and 400,000 bl of WCS from the Texas Gulf coast on a tender issued the week prior.

And state-owned PetroPeru issued a tender that closed 19 July listing WTI Midland, Mars, US domestic sweet blend and Alaskan North Slope. It is seeking 380,000 bl for 22-26 August delivery.

Energy consultancy ESAI Energy this month predicted US exports should continue to rise alongside production and pipeline capacity, which should exacerbate a light crude surplus on the Gulf coast, subject to the market.

"Although we see that the [Gulf coast] surplus could rise to 2mn b/d next year, its disposition is unclear," analyst Elisabeth Murphy said. "Lower prices will adversely impact the rate of growth coming from shale production."