The United States turned into a net crude exporter last week for the first time since World War II, as shipments neared record highs to meet demand from Asian and European buyers looking to replace West Asian supply cuts caused by the Iran war.Refiners in Asia and Europe that depend on those supplies have bought alternative cargoes wherever possible, leading to a sharp increase in demand for oil from the US. However, analysts say the US is rapidly approaching its export potential.Net imports of crude, or the difference between imports and exports, fell to 66,000 barrels per day last week, the lowest on record in weekly data dating back to 2001, while exports reached 5.2 million bpd, the most in seven months, according to US government data released on Wednesday. The data shows that the US was last a net exporter of crude oil in 1943.Countries like Greece have purchased US crude for the first time in recent months. About 2.4 million bpd, or about 47% of U.S. exports, headed to Europe last week, according to tracking service Kpler. About 1.49 million bpd, or about 37%, headed for Asia, up 30% from a year earlier.This is a Reuters story
