Pakistan Seeks Non-Middle East Crude as Hormuz and Red Sea Risks Escalate

Pakistan's refiners are actively seeking alternative crude oil supplies from the U.S., Nigeria, Singapore, and Central Asia due to escalating threats to Middle East shipping routes, particularly the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Following a meeting with the federal minister for petroleum, who briefed industry representatives on growing supply risks, refiners including PRL, Parco, and NRL have intensified efforts to secure cargoes from non-Middle Eastern producers. Saudi crude imports via the Red Sea port of Yanbu are now uncertain due to Houthi threats. The crisis has also disrupted Pakistan's LNG procurement, forcing the country to pay top dollar for spot market cargoes after term supplies from Qatar were stranded.