Visuals6x/Shutterstock April loadings of crudes that underpin the dated Brent benchmark are down 14% year on year, or 560,000 barrels per day.Regional differentials are largely propped up by steady inventory draws and a lower flat price that appeals to refineries not undergoing maintenance.The lagged effect of refinery turnarounds may soon show up in the form of higher inventory buying from China and perhaps the US. Save for later Print Download Share The North Sea trade has benefited from the combination of lower benchmark prices, healthy margins and the fear 鈥� real or imagined 鈥� of potentially less US crude coming to Europe. US tariffs have largely contributed to this impression and to the narrowing of the transatlantic crude spread, justified or not.
