At least four Asian refiners bought US crude this week, as the Strait of Hormuz remained effectively closed and refiners sought alternative supplies for delivery later this year, traders said.
Shipping traffic at the Strait of Hormuz fell below the average for this month towards the end of the week due to competing US and Iran claims over control of the waterway.
With no immediate prospect of a free flow of shipping through the strait, strong refining margins amid tight fuel supplies have encouraged refiners to secure crude inventories for the coming months from beyond the Persian Gulf.
South Korea's GS Caltex bought two million barrels of Mars crude from Shell for November arrival. The crude was priced at a premium around $13-14 per barrel above the October Dubai benchmark, traders said.
Japan's third-largest oil refiner, Cosmo Energy Holdings, bought Mars crude from Trafigura, while Eneos Corporation, Japan's biggest refiner, purchased two million barrels of West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude from Trafigura for November delivery with a premium over $10 per barrel above the October WTI price.
Taiwan's state-owned CPC Corporation bought two million barrels of WTI via a tender at a premium of around $8 to $9 a barrel to Dated Brent. CPC also purchased crude from West Africa via the tender, the people said.
The companies do not typically comment on commercial deals.
Before the Iran war, Asia sourced more than half of its crude supply from the Middle East. The region imported 2.35 million barrels per day crude from the US in July, a record high, according to data by ship tracking firm Kpler.
This week, India's state-run refiners Hindustan Petroleum Corporation and Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals also issued tenders seeking for crude.
(Reporting by Siyi Liu in Singapore; editing by Philippa Fletcher)