Asia to benefit from cheaper Canadian, Mexican oil if Trump imposes tariffs

Oil producers in Canada and Mexico will likely be forced to reduce prices and divert supply to Asia if US President-elect Donald Trump imposes 25 per cent import tariffs on crude imports from the two countries, traders and analysts said.

Two sources familiar with Trump's plan told Reuters that oil would not be exempted from potential tariff hikes on imports from Canada and Mexico even as the US oil industry has warned the policy could hurt consumers, industry and national security.

The United States accounts for 61 per cent and 56 per cent of crude exports from Canada and Mexico, respectively, ship tracking data fromKpler showed.

Canadian crude exports have jumped 65 per cent to about 530,000 barrels per day (bpd) so far this year, the data showed, after the opening of the expanded Trans-Mountain pipeline increased shipments to US and Asia.

"The Canadian producers, if they face export constraints, if they're not able to re-route their barrels that previously were exported to US to other markets, may face deeper discounts and may also suffer some revenue losses," Daan Struyven, co-head of global commodities research at Goldman Sachs, told reporters on Wednesday.

Canada and Mexico export mainly heavy high-sulphur crude that is processed by complex refineries in the US and most of Asia.

"The impact is all on the heavy grades. What are the US refiners going to do? Even Saudi Arabian Heavy crude is limited," a Singapore-based trader said, adding that some US refiners can only receive crude via pipelines, limiting their options for imports.

"Either the producer or the refiner will have to absorb the tariffs," he said, adding that Canadian producers will have to discount their oil more to attract demand from Asian refiners and cover long-distance shipping costs.

Refining sources in Asia and analysts said they expect to see more Canadian and Mexican oil heading to Asia if Trump imposes the tariffs.

"We are likely to see quite some volume going to China and India, where refiners' configurations are able to refine the crude said LSEG analyst Anh Pham.

TMX exports to Asia have risen in recent months as Asian refiners led by Chinese processors test the new grades. However, Mexican exports are down 21 per cent to about 860,000 bpd this year.

Still, some traders and Goldman Sachs analysts remain sceptical that Trump would actually impose the tariffs, which he has previously used as a negotiating tool, as doing so would drive inflation for US consumers and refiners.