Pakistan, Aug. 1 -- In a significant move, Pakistan will receive its first shipment of US crude oil in mid-to-late October as local refiner Cnergyico finalizes a deal with global supplier Vitol. The 1 million-barrel cargo of West Texas Intermediate (WTI) light crude will be loaded from Houston later this month and shipped to Karachi. This marks Pakistan's first purchase of US oil under a trade agreement, reflecting the country's efforts to expand its energy sources.

Cnergyico Vice Chairman Usama Qureshi stated that the deal is a test spot cargo under a long-term agreement with Vitol. If it proves commercially viable, the company may import at least one shipment every month. This move follows months of discussions that began in April afte...