CNBC: Supertankers could change the US Oil export game

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Shell Oil is reportedly loading a supertanker in Louisiana, the first of its kind to leave that port with U.S. crude exports.

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The first oil supertanker, capable of carrying 2 million barrels of crude, was being loaded in Louisiana this week, signalling the next phase in the U.S. transition to becoming a major energy exporter.

The tanker, 'Shaden,' was chartered by Shell Oil and is Saudi Arabian-flagged, according to a report by S&P Global Platts. The ship was due to leave the Louisiana Offshore Oil Port with a cargo of medium sour crude, sources told Platts. Shell declined to comment on the report.

"There's a lot of different infrastructure projects that have been underway all over the Gulf Coast to facilitate the rise in U.S. production. We see that activity taking advantage of the rising interest globally in U.S. exports of all types, and the rising demand environment as well," said Michael Cohen, Barclays head of energy commodities research.

U.S. oil exports have been growing since Congress reversed a 40-year-old law prohibiting most exports just over two years ago. As oil prices improved, U.S. oil production has also boomed, recently topping 10 million barrels a day, the highest since 1970.

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LOOP officials were unavailable for comment, but the port said on its website that it "has moored a VLCC and initiated its detailed test and checkout procedure." The VLCC, or very large crude carrier, is owned by Saudi shipper Bahri and was expected to take the crude into the Shell refining system, according to Platts.

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