在某些地区 运输成本或比汽油本身更昂贵

据3月28日印度时报报道，随着产量的激增和需求的下降，全球原油价格持续下降，专家们认为，运输汽油等燃料的成本可能会比产品本身更高。

一个典型的例子是加拿大，据彭博社报道，加拿大的重质原油价格已经远低于将其运往炼油厂的成本。该报告概述了加拿大西部的阿尔伯塔省的精选原油价格已经跌至每桶5.06加元，低于该国星巴克出售的部分精选咖啡饮料的价格。而将重质原油运输到像德克萨斯州这样的遥远地方的成本在每桶7至9美元之间。

在美国，汽油零售价格自2016年以来首次跌至每加仑2美元以下（1加仑为3.78升）。路透社报道称，美国为应对疫情封锁了全国的多数地区，全国物流已经停止，导致汽油价格下跌。

封锁对印度的炼油厂也产生了巨大影响。路透社周六报道，由于该国需求急速下降，两家印度炼油厂宣布对来自中东的原油采购遭遇不可抗力。据报道，储油罐已经满到了边缘，没有更多的空间供新进口原油储存。上周该国提高了燃油消费税，从而保持的燃油价格暂时稳定。

但是，供大于求的问题可能会长期存在。

这里要注意的重点之一是，因飞机停飞，且储存的航空级燃料的“保质期”又非常短，航空燃料需求急剧下降，从而导致国际市场原油价格暴跌。

在所有影响因素中，沙特和俄罗斯之间的生产战已成为供应增加的催化剂。在莫斯科拒绝减产的提议后，欧佩克与俄罗斯等其他产油国之间的一项为期三年的供应协议在三月初破裂。沙特对此做出反应，表示会将其产量提高到历史新高。产量过剩和需求下降对石油价格产生螺旋效应，许多人相信，这仅仅是一切的开始。

舒晓玲 摘译自 印度时报

原文如下：

In some countries, transporting petrol may become costlier than petrol itself

With global crude prices falling steadily amid a spurt in production and a simultaneous fall in demand, experts believe that transporting fuels like petrol could become more costly than the product itself.

A case in point is Canada where, according to a Bloomberg report, prices of heavy crude has become far cheaper than the cost of transporting it to refineries. The report outlined how Western Canadian Select crude in Alberta is down to $5.06 for a barrel which is less than prices of some select coffee drinks at the country's Starbucks outlets. And to transport heavy crude to distant places like Texas costs anywhere between $7 and $9 per barrel.

In the United States, retail gasoline prices fell to below $2 per gallon (1 gallon is 3.78 liters) for the first time since 2016. Reuters reported that the fall in prices come as transit across the country has been halted due to coronavirus and the consequent lockdowns in many parts.

Lockdown has also had a strong effect on refineries in India. Reuters reported on Saturday that two Indian refineries have declared force majeure on crude purchases from the Middle East due to crashing demands in the country. Storage tanks are reportedly full to the brim and there is just no more space for fresh imports. The excise on fuel was increased last week which has resulted in fuel prices being steady here for the moment.

The problem of aplenty, however, may be here to stay.

One of the important points to note here is that demand for jet fuel has come crashing down which has also contributed to crashing crude prices in the international market. Planes are grounded and stored aviation-grade fuel has a far lesser 'shelf life.'

Amid all of this, the production war between Saudi Arabia and Russia has acted as a catalyst in boosting supplies. A supply pact of three years between Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and other producers like Russia fell apart earlier in March after Moscow refused Saudi proposal to cut back on production. Saudi Arabia reacted by promising to take its production to record highs. Excess production and falling demand has had a spiraling effect on oil prices and many believe this is only the start of it all.