BPCL plans to buy US crude through a four-month tender next week

Indian state refiner Bharat Petroleum Corp plans to float a 4-month tender next week to buy U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude, a person familiar with the matter said on Friday, as it eyes cheaper oil from the world's top producer.

The refiner will be seeking one million barrel of WTI every month for arrival from May or June for four months, the source said.

BPCL did not respond to Reuters request for comments.

The Indian refiner last year awarded a similar tender to European major BP. 

BPCL often buys U.S. oil for its three refineries, which have combined capacity to process 706,000 barrels per day of crude.

India's imports of U.S. oil last month climbed to their highest in over two years, ship tracking data show, as refiners in the country sought alternative supplies following tighter U.S. sanctions on Russian producers and shippers.

India is planning to raise its energy imports from the U.S. to $25 billion in the near future from about $15 billion last year.

The U.S. exported about 357,000 bpd crude to India, the world's third biggest oil importer and consumer, in February, ship tracking data from Kpler showed. That compared with exports of about 221,000 bpd last year.