**Throughput cut in Dec free up product storage **2021 maintenance season kick off in late Feb **Crude inventory rebound in Shandong

Middle East oil product sales could reach 8 million-9 million b/d by 2023 as new refineries open up in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Oman, Glander International Bunkering senior sourcer Sean Burgin said.

**Kuwait steps up fuel oil purchases **Middle distillates stocks snap longest losing streak **South Africa took gasoil/diesel as Platts expected

**30% or more reduction in net carbon intensity by 2030 **To cut CO2 from upstream, develop hydrogen and renewables **Invest Yen20-30 bil ($193-$289 mil) annually in clean projects

**2 mil-2.5 mil mt to arrive in Feb, up from 2 mil mt in Jan **Supply tightness seen easing on higher supply

South Korea's refined oil product exports in December 2020 dropped 18.8% year on year to 35.7 million barrels, or 1.15 million b/d, in the aftermath of the prolonged coronavirus pandemic, data released by Korea National Oil Corp. showed Jan. 27.

South Korea's demand for refined oil products in December 2020 declined 11.1% from a year earlier due to faltering consumption of jet fuel and automotive fuels due to the resurgence of the coronavirus, data released by Korea National Oil Corp. showed Jan. 27.

Japanese refiners cut their oil products output by 1.3% week on week to 18.55 million barrels over Jan. 17-23, the Petroleum Association of Japan said Jan. 27.

Japan's oil product exports jumped 50% week on week to 3.45 million barrels over Jan. 17-23, led by an increase in gasoline, middle distillates and high sulfur fuel oil exports, data released Jan. 27 by the Petroleum Association of Japan showed.

India's oil product exports fell 10.2% year on year to 57.72 million mt in 2020, or 1.24 million b/d, trovisional data from the Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell showed Jan. 26, as global demand for fuels shrank due to the coronavirus pandemic.

S&P Global Ratings said Jan. 26 it is considering downgrading its credit ratings on a number of major oil and gas producers, including ExxonMobil, Shell and Total, to reflect a growing risk to their businesses from the energy transition, price volatility, and future profitability.

Demand for gasoline in Mexico surged to pre-pandemic levels in December, as holiday travelers swarmed the country's beaches amid a lockdown in the capital, Energy Secretariat (Sener) data showed Jan. 26.

Crude oil futures finished a volatile session mixed Jan. 26 as the market searched for direction amid US stimulus headwinds and bullish economic data.

Japan's largest refiner ENEOS is expected to keep weekly domestic wholesale base prices of its five major oil products unchanged in the week started Jan. 24, multiple sources said Jan. 26.

India's gasoil production rose 3.3% year on year in December and was fairly stable on the month amid high refinery run rates since November. But a recent surge in COVID-19 cases was putting pressure on demand and may hit gasoil production again.

Argentina's state-backed energy company YPF plans to ramp up it investment 73% this year, with the brunt of the increased spending going toward rebuilding oil and natural gas production after a 10% slump in 2020, a company source said Jan. 26.

Physical differentials for 0.1% gasoil cargoes in the Mediterranean have fallen to a five-month low as more supply from storage has been added to the market due to higher outright prices and a narrowing contango structure, market sources said Jan. 26.

US Gulf Coast middle distillate shipments set to land in Europe in February amount to 110,000 mt so far, all in Northwest Europe, according to Platts cFlow, trade flow software, on Jan. 26.

Middle East oil product sales could reach 8 million-9 million b/d by 2023 as new refineries open up in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Oman, Glander International Bunkering Senior Sourcer Sean Burgin said.

Dry bulk shipping company Oldendorff is embarking on a joint-venture project to developed wind-assisted propulsion for its carriers, the company said Jan. 26.