據ICIS-MRC網站5月21日莫斯科報道，據路透社援引印度最大的煉油商印度石油公司(Indian Oil Corp：IOC)董事長聲明報道稱，由于第二波新冠疫情打擊了燃料需求，該公司已將原油加工量占總產能的比例從4月份的96%降至84%。

根據周一公布的初步數據顯示，由于抑制新冠疫情的封鎖打擊了工業活動和消費，印度國有煉油企業5月上半月的國內輕油和汽油銷量較上月下降了五分之一。

該公司總裁SM Vaidya表示，需求被破壞了，這也反映在煉油廠的運營上……燃料需求何時會恢復正常是一個非常難以回答的問題。他把恢復的希望寄托在國家預防流感的疫苗接種上。

該公司和其子公司金奈石油(Chennai Petroleum)控制著印度500萬桶/天的煉油能力的三分之一。

Vaidya稱，去年5月，這家國有煉油企業平均運營率為67%。

盡管如此，原油價格的飆升推動了IOC庫存增加和精煉毛利率(GRM)的增長，幫助該公司在截至3月31日的季度實現了878.1億印度盧比(約合12億美元)的凈利潤，而去年同期為虧損518.5億盧比。根據Refinitiv IBES的數據顯示，分析師原本預計利潤為550.6億盧比。

郝芬 譯自 ICIS-MRC

原文如下：

Indian Oil reduces crude processing to 84% as COVID-19 pandemic hits fuel demand

Indian Oil Corp, India's top refiner, has cut crude processing to average at 84% of overall capacity from 96% in April as a devastating second wave of COVID-19 dented fuel demand, reported Reuters with reference to the company's chairman statement.

Domestic sales of gasoil and gasoline by Indian state refiners plunged by a fifth in the first half of May from a month earlier, preliminary data showed on Monday, as lockdowns to curb COVID-19 cases hit industrial activities and consumption.

"Demand destruction is there, which has also reflected in refinery runs... When it (fuel demand) will return to normalcy is a very difficult question to answer," Chairman SM Vaidya said, pinning recovery hopes on the country's vaccination drive against the pandemic.

The company, along with subsidiary Chennai Petroleum, controls about a third of India's 5 million-barrels-per-day (bpd) refining capacity.

In May last year, the state-owned refiner was operating its plants at an average 67%, Vaidya said.

Still, a surge in crude prices boosted inventory gains and gross refined margins (GRMs) at IOC, helping it report a net profit of 87.81 billion Indian rupees (USD1.20 billion) for the quarter ended March 31, against a loss of 51.85 billion rupees a year ago. Analysts were expecting a profit of 55.06 billion rupees, according to Refinitiv IBES data.

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