SEEPCO supplied six million barrels of Nigerian crude to India amid Hormuz tensions – Sandesara

Indian-owned oil producer Sterling Exploration and Energy Production Company (SEEPCO) supplied about six million barrels of Nigerian crude oil to India’s state-owned refineries between March and May, a development that businessman Nitin Sandesara says highlights the strategic importance of diversified energy supply routes during heightened tensions around the Strait of Hormuz.

According to Sandesara, the crude shipments reached India without transiting the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s busiest and most strategically significant oil shipping corridors, which has recently been at the centre of geopolitical concerns.

The deliveries came as global energy markets monitored rising tensions in the Gulf and growing uncertainty over the security of oil transportation through the waterway.

Although crude prices later eased following comments by U.S. President Donald Trump suggesting that an agreement with Iran could be within reach, concerns over the long-term stability of shipping routes in the region have persisted.

Sandesara noted that the Nigerian crude was supplied to Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL), three of India’s largest state-owned refiners.

According to him, the timing of the deliveries underscored the value of maintaining oil production assets outside the Gulf region.

“Unlike cargoes originating from the Gulf, the Nigerian crude reached India without passing through Hormuz, avoiding one of the world’s most closely watched energy chokepoints at a time when markets were increasingly focused on supply security,” Sandesara said.

He added that SEEPCO remains the only Indian-owned oil producer operating in a member country of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), giving India access to crude production outside its traditional Middle Eastern supply chain.

Sandesara said the company’s Okwuibome crude continued flowing from Nigeria’s Atlantic coast even as international markets assessed the risks associated with possible disruptions in the Gulf.

He explained that the supplies formed part of India’s broader strategy to diversify crude imports and reduce exposure to geopolitical risks affecting the Middle East.

According to him, the shipments were not arranged in response to the latest regional tensions but were made possible by long-term investments in exploration, production infrastructure and export networks established years earlier.

“Energy security is not only about where oil is purchased,” Sandesara stated. “It is also about who controls production, where that production is located and whether alternative supply routes are available when traditional channels come under pressure.”

He also described the recent deliveries as an important milestone for SEEPCO, noting that the company has resumed commercial engagements with India’s major refiners following the conclusion of legal proceedings involving him.

Sandesara maintained that the development demonstrates the strategic role Nigerian crude can continue to play in supporting global energy security while strengthening commercial ties between Nigeria and India.

Industry observers say the latest shipments reinforce the growing importance of supply diversification as countries seek to reduce reliance on vulnerable maritime routes amid evolving geopolitical uncertainties.