Traders said SK Energy has bought a first cargo of US West Texas intermediate
crude due to arrive in January, one of the few US crude purchases by Asian
refiners in recent weeks amid soaring tanker freight rates. The cargo is an
Aframax shipment of about 600,000 barrels, scheduled for delivery in early
January. Sources said Vitol sold the cargo last week and the landed price was
roughly $30/bbl above Dec ICE Brent swaps.