IOC is the only state refiner that has an annual deal to buy a variety of Russian grades, including Sokol, from Russian oil major Rosneft. Sokol oil is supplied to IOC by Sakhalin-1 LLC, a unit of Rosneft, sources said.
Shipments of Russian Sokol crude oil to Indian Oil Corp have been delayed by payment problems, forcing India's biggest refiner to draw from its inventories and buy more oil from the Middle East, two sources familiar with the matter said. IOC is the only state refiner that has an annual deal to buy a variety of Russian grades, including Sokol, from Russian oil major Rosneft.