Korea imported a nine-year low 1.767mn b/d from the Middle East in July, with the region’s 64.2% market share the lowest in decades as was the 60.9% from Opec countries. Korea’s total July imports were 2.754mn b/d.
Saudi Arabia remained top supplier with 787,500 b/d but volumes are well below the 1H 2019 average of 844,000 b/d (MEES, 12 July). The USA supplied Korea with a record 458,200 b/d in June, leapfrogging Kuwait and Iraq for number two supplier spot in the process: the 194,600 b/d from Iraq was the lowest since September 2015. Korea imported zero again from Iran for a third straight month. But 32,700 b/d from Libya was a two-year high. (CONTINUED - 113 WORDS)