SINGAPORE: South Korea’s SK Energy has issued a tender to purchase Middle Eastern crude for loading between November and February, according to trade sources on Wednesday.
The refiner is seeking crude from Gulf producers, including the United Arab Emirates, Oman and Qatar, the sources said.
The tender is scheduled to close on October 1 and will remain valid until October 2.
SK Energy has been seeking to secure alternative and Middle Eastern crude supplies amid continued disruption to oil flows in the region. The company said earlier this year that its dependence on Middle Eastern crude had fallen below 50pc from around 70pc before the conflict, with additional supplies sourced from the United States, Canada and Africa.
The latest tender comes as Middle Eastern crude exports have begun recovering, with regional shipments rising to 16.328 million barrels per day in September, although flows remained below pre-conflict levels.
By Reuters
