Saudi Arabia has promised a flood of cheap oil to Europe as it aims to hit its former ally Russia in its own backyard, but it looks like demand for the ultra-cheap Saudi crude doesn’t exist after all.
Despite the flood of cheap oil Saudi Arabia has promised, some refiners in Europe, including supermajor Shell, are set to take less crude from the Kingdom in April amid plummeting demand in the coronavirus pandemic, Reuters reported on Thursday, quoting industry sources.
In Europe, Saudi Arabia appears to be going after Russia’s oil market share with deeply discounted Arab Light crude at up to three times the usual volumes. Saudi Arabia hasn’t seen Europe as a core market in recent years because it has prioritized continuously growing demand in Asian markets. But in the war of market share, the Kingdom is now looking to squeeze Russian oil out of Europe by offering deep discounts which make its Arab Light crude priced at as low as $25 a barrel at Rotterdam, much lower than the price of Urals.
Regardless of the cheap extra Saudi crude oil, refiners in Europe plan to cut allocations for Saudi oil by as much as 25 percent for April, Reuters sources said, as many major economies – including Germany, France, Spain, Italy, and the UK – are in lockdown mode to try to slow the spread of the coronavirus. The widespread lockdowns are leading to a massive slump in oil demand in Europe’s biggest economies. Refining operations in Europe and elsewhere are scaling back as gasoline and jet fuel demand falls off a cliff due to the pandemic.
It’s difficult to “nominate a lot” amid refinery processing cuts, a trade source told Reuters.