Key facts
- Indian Oil Corporation, Bharat Petroleum, and Hindustan Petroleum received crude oil from SEEPCO.
- The total shipment amounted to nearly six million barrels.
- The crude oil was produced from SEEPCO's Okwuibome field in Nigeria.
- Deliveries took place between March and May 2026.
- This move diversifies India's crude oil supply sources amid West Asia crisis concerns.
Indian state-run refiners Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) received nearly six million barrels of crude oil from Nigeria's Sterling Oil Exploration & Energy Production Company Limited (SEEPCO) between March and May 2026. The crude was produced from SEEPCO's Okwuibome field and shipped via Atlantic routes, bypassing the Strait of Hormuz. This diversification of supply sources aims to mitigate risks associated with potential disruptions in the Gulf region due to ongoing geopolitical tensions. SEEPCO highlighted the importance of such deliveries for maintaining energy security and noted this marks a renewed engagement with Indian public-sector refining companies.