Customers in Asia and India are buying discounted Russian Urals crude after Western nations imposed an unprecedented $60 a barrel price cap on Russian oil in December. About 25% of Indian crude imports are now coming from Russia, said Amit Bilolikar, Deputy General Manager for Bharat Petroleum's crude trading desk. Bilolikar sees U.S. exports to India increasing, after the United States recently exported an all-time high record volume to Asia. China also is expected to buy more U.S. crude as the country eases coronavirus restrictions, said Matt Smith, Lead Oil Analyst for the Americas at Kpler. On its side, Canada will continue to export oil through the U.S. Gulf Coast, especially as global buyers demand the North American country's heavy oil grades, said Colin Gruending, an Executive Vice President at Enbridge Inc . In Colombia, Ecopetrol also is seeing high appetite for its heavy crudes in Asia, with increased volumes going to India, said Pedro Manrique, the firm's Commercial and Marketing Vice President.
<^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ U.S. crude exports to Europe hit multi-year high ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^> (Reporting by Stephanie Kelly and Arathy Somasekhar in Houston; Editing by David Gregorio)
Messaging: stephanie.kelly.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))