Indian oil and gas less disrupted by second Covid wave

The greater human toll of the latest spike in coronavirus cases is not mirrored in India’s hydrocarbons markets

India’s severe coronavirus outbreak has slowed crude imports and refinery runs while causing LNG shipments to be diverted. But despite the greater loss of life this year, the country’s oil and gas requirements have not been as affected as they were during the first wave. Indian crude demand has slowed amid the crisis, but not to the lows seen last year, when the country imposed nationwide lockdowns. The response to the recent outbreak has been at state and local level, so despite the greater severity of the health crisis, the impact on crude demand has—at least so far—been less than during the initial 2020 lockdown, says Mukesh Sahdev, senior vice president at consultancy Rystad Energy.