Corridors
Where oil actually flows.
Live regulatory mechanics, dominant ports, and current-day arbitrage economics for every corridor OilFlow monitors. Pulled from the same feeds the matching engine uses.
Arabian Gulf → Pakistan
Pakistan imports most of its crude and refined product via Karachi and Port Qasim. OGRA licenses govern downstream; SBP requires Letter of Credit for all petroleum imports. Distressed Gulf supply — particularly Saudi Arab Heavy and Iraqi Basrah Light — routes preferentially through this corridor when Asian demand softens.
Arabian Gulf → East Africa (Kenya, Tanzania)
Kenya's Open Tender System (OTS) controls crude imports; private importers run refined products via Mombasa. Tanzania routes refined product through Dar es Salaam under EWURA. SGS and Intertek are the dominant inspection firms. EPRA license plus PVoC required for Kenyan imports.
Arabian Gulf → Bangladesh
BPC holds the monopoly on Bangladeshi crude imports; private importers can only ship refined products and LPG under an IRC (Import Registration Certificate). Bangladesh Bank requires confirmed LC for all petroleum imports — extremely restrictive forex environment.
Arabian Gulf → Sri Lanka
CPC (Ceylon Petroleum Corporation) dominates crude imports; limited private crude participation. Refined products open under government-authorised import licenses. Colombo is the primary discharge port.
Arabian Gulf → India
India's largest single crude-import corridor. IOC, BPCL, HPCL dominate PSU import flows; Reliance and Nayara run the private refiner side. DGFT IEC (Importer Exporter Code) mandatory. Mundra, Sikka, Jamnagar, Paradip handle the bulk of discharge.
Arabian Gulf → Indonesia
Pertamina dominates Indonesian upstream and crude imports; BPH Migas licenses downstream distribution. SE Asia's largest gasoline import demand. Cilacap and Balongan refineries are primary discharge points.
Arabian Gulf → Malaysia
PETRONAS holds upstream monopoly; licensed trading possible. MyDECC petroleum trading license required. Tanjung Pelepas and Pasir Gudang are key discharge ports.
Arabian Gulf → South Africa
South Africa imports most crude post-SAPREF closure. Engen and PetroSA remain active refiners. NERSA licensing governs petroleum wholesaling.
Russia → Asia (India, China, Turkey)
Post-2022 G7 price-cap-era Russian crude flows rerouted eastward. Urals trades at significant discounts to Dated Brent into India and China. ESPO from Kozmino prices vs Dubai. Compliance with OFAC and G7 price cap mechanics is table stakes — any deal outside the cap framework carries severe USD-clearing risk.
West Africa → Northwest Europe
Light sweet West African crudes — Bonny Light, Forcados, Qua Iboe — price vs Dated Brent and serve the Rotterdam/ARA and Med refining complexes. NUPRC licensing for Nigerian upstream; NMDPRA for downstream. The Dangote refinery has partially absorbed flows that historically exported.
US Gulf → Europe
Post-2015 US crude export ban lift and Midland-spec WTI Brent-basket inclusion made this one of the structurally most important corridors globally. Corpus Christi is the dominant loading point; Rotterdam and Milford Haven dominate discharge.
Arabian Gulf → Northwest Europe
Suezmax and VLCC flows of Middle East crude into Mediterranean and NW European refiners. Arab Light and Arab Heavy OSPs reset monthly by Saudi Aramco. Suez transit mechanics and the Brent-Dubai EFS spread drive corridor arbitrage.
North Africa → Southern Europe
Sonatrach (Algeria) and NOC (Libya) export light sweet crudes into Med refineries. Politically sensitive corridor — Libyan production volatility can shift volumes by 500 kbd in weeks. Algerian LNG flows into Southern European gas buyers.