Singapore refiner Aster Chemicals and Energy Pte is buying crude from Latin America and West Africa to replace Middle Eastern supplies disrupted by the US-Iran war that began in late February. The company operates a 300,000-barrel-a-day refinery on Bukom Island, southwest of Singapore, and previously sourced about 70% of its crude from the Middle East. Managing director Han Lih Kwong said the disruption has forced the firm to increase purchases of grades it had processed before, "just not in such quantities." The shift highlights how the conflict is reshaping global oil trade flows, pushing Asian refiners to secure alternative supplies from farther afield.

Aster's move reflects broader industry adaptation as Middle East output becomes less reliable amid ongoing hostilities.