中国石化新闻网讯 据钻机地带8月22日报道，随着美国和巴西的石油流入世界最大消费地区，亚洲的原油现货市场正在走软，加剧了对中东生产商的竞争。

据处理这些货物的贸易商称，韩国、印度等买家本月从美国购买了大量原油，超过2000万桶，大部分于11月抵达。此外，他们说，一些来自北海和巴西的原油也被运走。

全球基准布伦特原油期货在8月份跌至数月低点，贸易商们对年底前的供应前景进行了评估。油价下跌的另一个原因是，人们对全球经济增长可能放缓的担忧加剧。

Vanda Insights创始人Vandana Hari表示，我认为欧佩克生产国将密切关注实物市场日益疲软的迹象。这将使他们更加警惕，尤其是如果他们在亚洲的最大买家正在抢购更多的长途原油。

进入亚洲的长途货物增加（所需时间是中东原油的两倍），已迫使波斯湾原油的现货溢价下降，日本需求下降也带来了额外压力。

根据彭博社（Bloomberg）汇编的数据显示，阿曼原油期货对迪拜掉期的溢价较一个月前减少了一半以上。迪拜掉期是衡量亚洲中东原油现货桶强弱的一个指标。

本月原油期货价格下滑，降低了原料成本，但除了日本以外，亚洲地区对现货的需求一直相对强劲。柴油等燃料的炼油利润率在触及两个月低点后出现反弹，促使一些当地加工商不再减少开工率。

据贸易商表示，本月迄今为止，日本买家在从阿布扎比抢购他们青睐的原油以备10月份装船方面进展缓慢。贸易商称，Idemitsu Kosan Co.计划在10月至11月对其横滨工厂进行维护，以控制部分消费。

郝芬 译自 钻机地带

原文如下：

USA Oil Pours Into Asia

The physical crude market in Asia is softening as oil from as far away as the US and Brazil flows into the world’s top consuming region, boosting competition for Middle East producers.

Buyers in South Korea, India have picked up substantial volumes from the US this month -- more than 20 million barrels -- mostly for arrival in November, according to traders handling those shipments. In addition, some crude cargoes from the North Sea and Brazil are also being taken, they said.

Brent futures -- the global benchmark -- hit a multi-month low in August as traders assessed the outlook for supplies heading into the year-end. The drop has also been driven by elevated concern that global growth may be slowing.

“I think the OPEC producers would keep a very close eye on signs of growing softness in the physical market,” said Vandana Hari, founder of Vanda Insights, referring to the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries. “Should the Iran deal go through, it would put them even more on their guard, especially if their biggest buyers in Asia are scooping up more long-haul crude.”

The increased inflow of long-haul cargoes into Asia, which take twice as long as Middle Eastern barrels, have forced spot premiums of Persian Gulf barrels to dip, with additional pressure from poorer Japanese demand.

The premium of Oman crude futures to Dubai swaps -- a gauge of the strength or weakness of Middle Eastern physical barrels in Asia -- has more than halved from a month ago, data compiled by Bloomberg showed.

As crude futures slid this month, reducing feedstock costs, the region’s appetite for spot cargoes has stayed relatively firm, other than in Japan. Refining margins for fuels like diesel have rebounded after hitting a two-month low, prompting some local processors to look away from cutting run rates.

So far this month, Japanese buyers have been slow to grab their favored crude from Abu Dhabi for October loading, traders said. Idemitsu Kosan Co. has a planned maintenance at its Yokkaichi plant in October-November that’s keeping some consumption curbed, according to traders.