U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve Oil Heads to California Amid Middle East Supply Disruptions
For the first time, oil from the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve is being sent to California, highlighting a shift in trade flows due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. California, which has become increasingly reliant on crude imports, is receiving about 460,000 barrels of Bayou Choctaw Sweet crude at Chevron's Richmond refinery and another 50,000 barrels at the El Segundo refinery. This movement is a response to the disruption of Middle Eastern crude supplies caused by the Iran conflict. The oil was transported via the supertanker Pascagoula Voyager, which was co-loaded with Guyana's Unity Gold crude oil. 
