A 655,000-barrel cargo of Venezuelan heavy crude chartered by an Italian-flagged vessel left a port operated by Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) on Friday, marking the nation’s first export to Europe after a three-month hiatus. .
The companies Eni (Italy) and Repsol of Spain received authorizations from the United States last year to take Venezuelan oil to Europe as compensation for outstanding debts in relief of US sanctions on the Venezuelan oil industry.
Venezuelan oil shipments this year have previously been subjected to an extensive audit carried out by the new president of PDVSA, Pedro Tellechea, who has carried out an exhaustive review of the terms of contracts to avoid a series of failed payments by some clients. .
The Greek-flagged Aframax Minerva Alexandra tanker, which had arrived in Venezuelan waters this month, loaded some 315,000 barrels of Boscán crude and 340,000 barrels of diluted crude, according to internal PDVSA shipping documents.
The ship is headed for Repsol’s Cartagena refinery, a Spanish facility that has processed Venezuelan heavy crudes in the past.
It should be noted that this ship, which belongs to the Greek company Minerva Marine Inc, is a supertanker with the capacity to transport up to 100,000 tons.
Venezuelan oil has helped Italy and Spain alleviate the lack of specific grades of crude after the conflict between Russia and Ukraine and the consequent sanctions related to the Eurasian giant.
Another energy company authorized by the United States to receive and export Venezuelan oil, Chevron, is on track to ship more than 100,000 barrels of oil per day to the United States this month under the US license issued in November.
It is expected that in the coming months authorization will be given to other transnationals to negotiate with PDVSA.