Pakistan Receives 2nd U.S. Crude Oil Shipment

Pakistan received its second shipment of American crude oil, signaling a strategic pivot toward energy diversification and cost efficiency. The MT Albany, carrying one million barrels of premium West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude, docked at Cnergyico’s offshore Single Point Mooring (SPM) terminal near Hub, Balochistan, on November 10, 2025. This delivery follows Pakistan’s inaugural U.S. crude import in October and precedes a third cargo scheduled for January 2026. Together, the three shipments represent an investment exceeding $200 million, as Pakistan moves to reduce its dependence on traditional Middle Eastern suppliers such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE. This shift is part of a broader U.S.-Pakistan trade agreement aimed at deepening bilateral economic ties. The success of this transcontinental energy trade relies heavily on Cnergyico’s deep-water SPM terminal, which, unlike Karachi’s shallow ports, can accommodate large Aframax and Suezmax tankers. This infrastructure enables the import of larger cargoes, significantly lowering per-barrel freight costs and making long-haul shipments from the U.S. Gulf Coast economically viable. The economic rationale is further bolstered by the characteristics of WTI crude. As a light, sweet crude, WTI is easier and less expensive to refine into high-value products such as gasoline and diesel, while also producing fewer emissions. WTI often trades at a discount to the Dubai/Oman benchmark, which is used for Middle Eastern crude pricing, helping to offset higher shipping costs and making American oil highly competitive for Pakistani refiners.