Read more about India s oil industry struggles to predict demand recovery in pandemic on Business Standard. Diesel and gasoline, which account for more than half of oil consumption in India, are bearing the brunt of lockdowns.
by Bloomberg
|Thursday, May 27, 2021
Indian energy demand is taking a big hit as Covid-19 runs rampant across the country.
(Bloomberg) Indian energy demand is taking a big hit as Covid-19 runs rampant across the country. But uncertainty around when the virus wave will subside and the lack of a unified government response has left the oil industry in the dark as to how quickly consumption might pick up again.
The demand destruction over the last couple of months has been less severe than last year, when the government imposed the world’s biggest national lockdown. However, the lack of a coordinated effort to shut down activity to halt the virus’s spread will likely lead to a longer, although less pronounced, economic slump.
India s oil industry struggles to predict when demand will recover
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India s oil industry struggles to predict when demand will recoverBy Saket Sundria and Debjit Chakraborty, Bloomberg
Last Updated: May 27, 2021, 09:58 AM IST
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Synopsis
This time it s not as bad as April 2020, when demand nearly halved. This time round, more factories have remained open and cargo movements between states haven’t been as badly affected. Even so, around 65% of India’s truck fleet is idle due to weak demand and a shortage of drivers, with localised restrictions creating hurdles to truck movement.
Regional lockdowns and periodic announcements are making things difficult to predict.
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India still interested in Farzad B gas field as refineries eye Iran crude
India is still hopeful it can participate in the Farzad B natural gas field development in the Persian Gulf after Iran decided to go ahead with the project without foreign participation, oil ministry officials told S&P Global Platts on May 23.
With US and Iran talks progressing to end sanctions against the Middle East country, some Indian refiners also told Platts they are looking forward to resuming crude trade with Iran.
“Any positive development on Iran would reduce crude price and help consuming countries like India,” M.K. Surana, chairman and managing director of Hindustan Petroleum Corp. Ltd (HPCL). India’s No 3 state-run refiner, told Platts. Oil prices are unlikely to go much beyond $70/b for long.