India’s Cooking Gas Crisis: HPCL Seeks Rare Russian LPG Cargo as Hormuz Closure Hits Supply
HPCL has issued a rare tender for a non-sanctioned vessel to load 20,000 tons of Russian LPG from Ust-Luga. As the Strait of Hormuz closure chokes 90% of India's traditional supply lines, state refiners are aggressively diversifying to Russia, the U.S., and Norway to prevent a domestic shortage.
- Republic Business
- 1 min read
India's state-run Hindustan Petroleum Corp has issued a rare tender seeking a liquefied petroleum gas tanker to immediately load propane and butane from Russia's Ust-Luga port, a tender document seen by Reuters on Monday showed.
The vessel, to be loaded with 12,000 metric tons of butane and 8,000 tons of propane for discharge on India's west coast, must not be under sanctions and must have no links to Iran, the document said.
HPCL did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Indian state refiners are seeking to buy LPG, used as cooking gas, from more diversified sources including Russia as India faces its worst LPG supply crisis in decades.
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Supplies from the Middle East have been disrupted by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz following the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.
Indian authorities have previously said they are purchasing LPG from countries including the U.S., Norway, Canada, and Russia.
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India consumed 33.15 million tons of LPG last year, with imports accounting for about 60% of demand. About 90% of those imports came from the Middle East. (Reporting by Nidhi Verma. Editing by Mark Potter)
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