PDVSA Diverts Crude Tanker from Curacao

Venezuela's state-run PDVSA ordered a tanker carrying Russian oil that was waiting to discharge at its Curacao terminal to divert to Venezuelan waters after ConocoPhillips (COP) introduced an order in a Caribbean court to seize its inventories and other assets in the island, according to a shipper and Reuters data on Tuesday.

The Aframax tanker British Cygnet loaded crude at Russia's Primorsk terminal in April. It arrived in Curacao's Bullenbay terminal, operated by PDVSA, on Sunday, two days after at least two Caribbean courts ordered the temporary retention of inventories and facilities in Bonaire, Curacao, Aruba and St. Eustatius at U.S. oil firm Conoco's request to satisfy a $2 billion arbitration award against PDVSA.

Reporting by Marianna Parraga