India, China, U.S., Complain Of Venezuelan Crude Oil Quality Issues

Venezuela’s Indian, Chinese, and American clients are complaining that crude shipments from PDVSA are poor in quality and are resulting in demands for discounts and returned shipments, according to a new report by Reuters, including interviews with over a dozen sources and supporting documents.
The disputes involve the contamination of crude with water, soil, and other minerals that make it difficult for refineries to effectively process crude for mass consumption.
But the sources speculated that the low quality of shipments was due to lack of upkeep at PDVSA facilities as officials try to cut corners to save operating costs.
In addition, the state-owned company lacks the resources to buy chemicals that aid in the long-term storage of crude before shipment.

This post was published at Zero Hedge on Oct 19, 2017.