US imports of Opec crude plummet in December

US crude imports from Opec countries fell in December to the lowest level since at least 1973, according to the latest Energy Information Administration (EIA) monthly data.

Imports from Opec members averaged 336,000 b/d in December, down by 237,000 b/d from the previous month and a decline of nearly 1mn b/d from a year earlier.

It marked the lowest monthly average for imports from Opec in the EIA database which dates back to January 1973.

The lower figure partially reflects that imports from Ecuador are no longer included in the Opec total, as that country left the group in January 2020.

Saudi Arabia sent the most crude to the US among Opec countries in December, with 111,000 b/d. The second highest Opec shipper to the US in December was Iraq, with 89,000 b/d. Ecuador sent 163,000 b/d in December.

Saudi crude imports to the US have been dropping steadily over the past few years from an average of about 1.1mn b/d in 2016 to an average of about 500,000 b/d in 2019 and 2020.

Among all countries, Canada is the top source of US crude imports with 3.8mn b/d in December.

By Eunice Bridges