Taiwanese state oil refiner CPC Corp has signed its first long-term deal to buy U.S. crude, a company official said on Monday, one of only a few such deals by Asian buyers who normally purchase U.S. oil on the spot market. The deal for delivery in 2019 will ensure that Taiwan, which became a regular importer of U.S. oil at the end of 2017, will get a steady supply of U.S. crude for five months from early next year. CPC has awarded a tender to an unnamed U.S. trading company and it will receive 2 million barrels of U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) Midland crude every month between February and June, the official said. Taiwan is Asia’s third-largest buyer of U.S. oil, with monthly imports averaging 3.6 million barrels between January and November, according to Refinitiv Eikon data. The imports – to replace African supplies snapped […]