Pakistan Turns to Vitol for More U.S. Crude

Pakistan has taken another step in diversifying its crude oil supplies with a second purchase of U.S. crude, breaking from its traditional reliance on Middle Eastern imports.

Cnergyico, the country’s largest refiner, has ordered 1 million barrels of U.S. West Texas Light (WTL) crude for November delivery through trading house Vitol, Vice Chairman Usama Qureshi confirmed. The deal, priced against Dubai benchmarks, follows Pakistan’s debut purchase of U.S. crude in August, when a test cargo of WTL was booked for October arrival in Karachi. The Suezmax Pegasus, carrying that first shipment, is currently en route and expected to dock later this month.

The latest cargo is part of a term supply arrangement between Cnergyico and Vitol, which provides the refiner with access to a wide slate of grades including Middle Eastern, U.S., Kazakh, and West African crudes. Qureshi said the decision was based on economics, noting that refining margins for U.S. barrels came out slightly stronger than those for Gulf grades. If the trend continues, Cnergyico may look to secure as much as 1 million barrels of U.S. crude each month.

Pakistan has historically relied almost entirely on the Middle East for its crude needs, averaging 170,000 barrels per day of imports between January and August 2025, according to Vortexa data. But with Abu Dhabi’s Murban crude premiums softening and West African grades appearing competitive, Cnergyico is weighing broader diversification.

The shift also follows an August trade deal between Washington and Islamabad that opened the door for U.S. energy exports to Pakistan in exchange for lower tariffs on Pakistani goods. President Donald Trump has actively pushed such arrangements to boost U.S. oil exports abroad.

While favorable economics support the U.S. arbitrage for now, rising freight costs and firmer U.S. crude premiums could limit future imports. Still, Cnergyico, which already operates Pakistan’s only offshore terminal capable of receiving large crude tankers, is planning capacity expansions and upgrades to support future demand growth.

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