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U.S. crude imports touch two-year high regardless of lukewarm demand

U.S. crude oil imports last month increased to an almost twoyear high as refiners scooped up heavy crudes from Canada and Latin America to process into fuels for summer driving season.

Imports of crude oil rose to 3.1 million barrels per day ( bpd) in May, the greatest since July 2022, information from ship tracking service Kpler showed. Imports so far this month have remained strong, at around 2.9 million bpd to date.

Fuel demand has stayed tepid with item provided for fuel at 9.1 million bpd in the week to June 14, somewhat below the 10-year seasonal average, information from the U.S. Energy Information Administration revealed.

U.S. item supplied of extract fuel oil also was around 3.7 million bpd, about 3% below the seasonal average, according to EIA information.

Crude oil imports from Canada climbed up in May to 319,000 bpd, its most in 2-1/2 years, as the freshly expanded Trans Mountain pipeline increased flows to the U.S. West Coast. The imports were 39% greater than the exact same month a year back.

Materials from Mexico, Guyana and Colombia also climbed up. Guyana crude hit a record 99,000 bpd and Colombia rose to a near two-year high. Imports from Mexican state oil business Pemex rebounded, reversing quick export cuts.

U.S. refiners bought excess petroleum to alleviate the loss of Mexican crude, stated Rohit Rathod, market expert at energy scientist Vortexa.

Pemex in April had pared exports, sending out U.S. refiners to get order heavier crude from Colombia and Canada, however weaker-than-expected need by Pemex's domestic refineries canceled scheduled May cuts. Imports from Mexico this month have run 624,000 bpd, the greatest this year.

Leading May refining importers were Chevron, Marathon Petroleum, Valero Energy and Phillips 66 , according to Kpler data.

(source: Reuters)