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Venezuelan oil exports reach a four-year high on the back of higher production, sales to US and India

According to documents and shipping data from the state-owned PDVSA, Venezuelan oil exports reached a record high of 950,000 barrels a day, which is a four-year peak. This was boosted by soaring crude production and increased sales to India, and to the United States.

The increase occurred despite a large fire at a storage terminal last month, the tightening of U.S. Sanctions since June, and the arrests of former PDVSA executives and the former oil minister Pedro Tellechea over allegations of corruption.

The PDVSA documents show that a rebound in crude production mainly because of the stabilization of the processing operations at Venezuela’s largest oil region Orinoco Belt has allowed for the recovery of heavy crude stocks.

According to data based on tanker movement, PDVSA, its joint ventures, and PDVSA itself exported 947,387 barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil and fuel. This is a 21% increase over the previous months and the highest figure for a month since early 2020.

In addition to the oil products and petrochemicals exported in September, South America, which is still under U.S. sanction, also exported 314,500 tons. This was slightly higher than the 267,000 tonnes of September.

Chevron's crude shipments to the United States have reached a record peak of 280.000 barrels per day (bpd), the highest level since the U.S. company resumed the export of Venezuelan heavy grades at the beginning of last year. Last month, Spanish oil producer Repsol exported Venezuelan oil to the U.S.

The data revealed that PDVSA sent three cargoes or 141,000 bpd to India last month. India was a major market prior to the sanctions.

Under U.S. licensing, PDVSA joint venture partners, customers and Eni, Maurel & Prom and Reliance Industries are allowed to deliver crude oil to the U.S. and Europe.

In October, China was the top destination for Venezuelan oil exports, with 385 300 bpd being shipped directly and indirectly to the largest oil importer in the world. In September, exports to China averaged 451,500 barrels per day.

Venezuelan exports to Cuba, a political ally that is struggling with an acute energy shortage, increased slightly to 28,000 barrels per day (bpd) from 22,000 in September.

According to data, Venezuela's fuel imports increased to 81,000 bpd from 67,000 bpd in the previous month.

(source: Reuters)