China’s state-run oil refiner Sinopec Corp has purchased its first ever batch of U.S. crude oil for export, a source told Reuters on Thursday, a landmark transaction after the ending of a four-decade ban on domestic exports. The cargo, due to be loaded from a Gulf Coast port in March, may mark the start of a sustained flow of U.S. oil to China, the world’s second-largest buyer, which is eager to diversify its energy sources. Unipec, its trading arm, also has the advantage of leased oil storage tanks in the Caribbean, which could allow it to blend U.S. shale with cheap, heavy Latin American crudes for a bespoke mix ideally suited to its plants back home. While the first unfettered exports of domestic crude have already set sail […]