Although the document only covers one month of Syrian petroleum exports, it provides a recent snapshot of ordinarily confidential trading activity in which European oil companies Repsol SA and Royal Dutch Shell PLC loaded Syrian crude, and Trafigura and Total SA loaded Syrian oil products in July.
AUGUST 26, 2011
By BENOIT FAUCON And KONSTANTIN ROZHNOV
LONDONA shipping document suggests a European Union embargo on Syrian crude oilexpected to be finalized next weekwould hit Italy hardest, even as the southern European country continues to make do without Libyan crude.
Nearly half of the crude oil exported by Syria ended up in Italian ports last monththe equivalent of about 55,132 barrels a day out of 110,521 barrels a day of total Syrian oil shipments, according to a Syrian ports document. Italian oil giant Eni SpA and refiners IES Italiana and Saras SpA said they do refine some Syrian crude as part of a broader slate of oil grades.