MUMBAI : Indian refiners are ruing their inability to fully reap the benefits of a sharp fall in global oil prices, thanks to a dearth of crude oil storage capacity.
With Brent, the global oil benchmark, plunging to a two-decade low, expectations have risen in India that lower oil prices would cushion the country’s current account deficit and help cool inflation.
A nearly month-long countrywide lockdown to contain the covid-19 pandemic has crimped demand for fuel products in India, the world’s third-largest oil importer.
This has saddled refiners with unsold stocks at their depots as well as fuel retailing outlets. And with bare minimum off take, refineries are now operating at 40-50% of their capacities. “Our refineries are not running at