SK Energy

In January 2021, the State of New Jersey Department of the Treasury listed SK Energy as a company engaged in prohibited activities in Iran pursuant to P.L. 2012, c. 25 ("Chapter 25"). 

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On October 14, 2020, SK Energy remained on the Tennesse Department of General Services list of persons it determines engage in investment activities in Iran, as described in 12-12-105.

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As of July 1, 2020, SK Energy is listed as an entity “determined, based on credible information available to the public, to be engaged in prohibited activities in Iran pursuant to New Jersey P.L. 2012, c.25 (“Chapter 25”). 

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In 2020, the U.S. state of Mississippi listed SK Energy on its state lists of Companies Doing Business with the Iranian Petroleum/Natural Gas, Nuclear and Military Sectors, rendering it ineligible for investment and/or state contracting.

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As of June 8, 2020, SK Energy is listed on the Pennsylvania Department of General Services Iran Free Procurement List. Entities included on this list are ineligible to enter into a contract with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for goods and services worth at least $1,000,000 per sections 3501-3506 of the Commonwealth Procurement Code, 62 Pa. C.S. §§ 3501-3506.  

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As of April 15, 2020, SK Energy is included as an entity determined to be non-responsive bidders/offerers pursuant to The New York State Iran Divestment Act of 2012.  

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As of April 15, 2020, SK Energy is included on the Tennessee list of persons it determines engage in investment activities in Iran, as described in § 12-12-105. 

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On March 13, 2019, the Mississippi Department of Finance & Administration identified SK Energy as a company “engaged in investment activities in Iran, providing funds, goods or services valued at $20,000,000 or more in the energy sector of Iran.”  

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In 2018 and 2019 Tennessee used the New York list of “Entities determined to be non-responsive bidders/offerers pursuant to the New York State Iran Divestment Act of 2012.” SK Energy was included on this list in 2018 and 2019. Tennessee states "Inclusion on this list would make a person ineligible to contract with the state of Tennessee, if a person ceases its engagement in investment activities in Iran, it may be removed from the list."

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“South Korea's crude imports from Iran surged 104 percent in February from a year earlier as refiners hiked purchases ahead of maintenance shutdown starting from March, according to the country's customs data and a refining source. South Korea imported 1.1 million tonnes of Iranian crude last month, or 294,069 barrels per day (bpd), up 4.5 times from January and double from a year earlier, preliminary customs data showed on Saturday…’The two refiners had to hike the imports ahead of maintenance shutdown starting from March. Before and after the maintenance, refiners usually import more to meet annual import contracts,’ a Seoul-based refining source told Reuters. Of four South Korean refiners, SK Energy and Hyundai Oilbank are the only ones that buy Iranian oil on a regular basis. Their Iranian crude imports can vary from month to month as one of the two refiners that buy from the OPEC receives the oil only every other month. SK Energy will shut a 260,000 bpd No. 5 crude distillation unit (CDU) and a 57,000-bpd No.1 gasoline-making unit in the second quarter for maintenance, a spokesman at parent SK Innovation Co Ltd said. Hyundai Oilbank will shut its No.1 110,000-bpd CDU in April for maintenance, it said last month.” (Reuters, “S.Korea Feb Iran oil imports soar ahead of shutdown," 3/15/14)

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"South Korea's Iranian crude imports fell in October from September, meeting a targetted 15 percent cut in its shipments from the OPEC member for the June-November period to secure an extension of its six-month U.S. sanctions waiver…outh Korea imported 420,402 tonnes of Iranian crude last month, or 99,405 barrels per day (bpd), down more than a quarter compared with September and down nearly a half from a year earlier, preliminary customs data showed on Friday…The total means South Korea met the 125,814 bpd it aims to achieve in its imports from Iran in the six months through November…South Korea's Iranian crude imports vary from month to month as one of the two Korean refiners that buys from Iran receives oil only every other month, according to industry sources. The imports unexpectedly jumped in July from the year-earlier period before dropping off again in August. SK Energy and Hyundai Oilbank are the only South Korean refiners that take Iranian oil on a regular basis. South Korea, the world's fifth-largest crude buyer, imported a total of 10.7 million tonnes of crude last month against 11.1 million tonnes in October 2012, data from the Korea Customs Service also showed on Friday." (Reuters, "S.Korea's Oct Iran oil imports drop, meet target," 11/15/13)

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"South Korean refiners SK Energy and Hyundai Oilbank are the only two in the country to import Iranian crude. Spokesmen at both refiners declined to comment." (Reuters, "South Korea Pledges 15 Percent Cut to Iran Oil Imports," 06/24/13)

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"South Korea's imports of Iranian crude in March fell 16.2 percent from a year ago to 4.02 million barrels, data from the state-run Korea National Oil Corp showed on Monday, after its biggest refiner SK Energy shut a crude unit for maintenance... But imports from sanctions-hit Iran should surge month-on-month to 190,000 bpd in April as SK Energy's 110,000-bpd crude distillation unit returned to operation on April 16 after 30 days of maintenance... Its two buyers of Iranian crude, refiners SK Energy and Hyundai Oilbank, are shutting a combined 560,000 bpd of refinery capacity for planned maintenance between March and June." (Reuters, "Update 1 - S.Korea's Iran Crude Imports for March Down 16.2 pct Y/Y," 4/22/2013)

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"South Korean refiners will cut imports of Iranian crude during the six months to May by about a fifth from a year earlier, to avoid sanctions by Washington, government and industry sources told Reuters on Monday. Last week the United States granted 180-day waivers on Iran sanctions to China, India, South Korea and some other countries after they cut oil purchases from the Islamic Republic... South Korea, the world's fifth largest importer of crude, and one of Iran's biggest oil customers, gave the assurance on the size of the cuts in talks with the United States following discussions with Korean refiners, the sources said. Such a cut would imply South Korean imports of about 147,814 barrels per day (bpd) over the period to next May, since the country imported 184,767 bpd of Iranian crude from December 2011 to May 2012. Two refiners, SK Energy and Hyundai Oilbank, now import about 200,000 barrels per day of crude from Iran." (Reuters, "South Korea to Cut Iran Crude Imports 20 Percent," 12/10/12)

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"South Korea's biggest oil refiner SK Energy loaded a second cargo of crude in Iran last week, a government source said on Wednesday, as Seoul resumes Iranian oil shipments after a near two-month gap caused by a European Union ban on insurance cover... A spokesman for SK Energy's parent firm confirmed last week that another Iranian cargo of the same volume was already on its way to South Korea. 'SK Energy lifted its second cargo in Iran last week,' said the source at South Korea's economy ministry, adding that SK Energy's first cargo had not arrived yet in Korea. SK Energy and its parent SK Innovation declined to comment... Of South Korea's four refiners, only SK Energy and Hyundai Oilbank import Iranian crude. SK Energy's term contracts with Iran this year provide for imports of two Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs) of crude per month, or 4 million barrels, and Hyundai Oilbank imports one VLCC per month, or 2 million barrels, according to the economy ministry source." (Reuters, "S.Korea's SK Energy lifts 2nd Iran crude cargo-source," 9/26/2012)

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"South Korean refiners will resume imports of up to 200,000 barrels per day of Iranian crude from September, economy ministry sources said on Monday, ending a two-month gap due to a European Union ban on insurance cover for Iranian oil... Total imports envisaged at resumption will be six million barrels per month, or 200,000 bpd. SK Energy will import four million barrels per month and Hyundai Oilbank will import two million barrels per month, the economy ministry source added. This is the volume refiners agreed in term contracts with Iran for this year... A spokesman at SK Innovation, which owns SK Energy, told Reuters last Friday that the talks with Iran were progressing well, and the refiner expected to resume the imports around September loading." (Reuters, "S.Korea to resume Iran oil imports from Sept -econ min sources," 8/20/12)

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"South Korean refiners plan to resume buying crude from Iran in September after a two-month hiatus due to a European Union embargo that made shipping the oil difficult, government and refining sources said on Wednesday. The refiners have, like their Chinese and Indian counterparts, asked Iran to deliver crude on Iranian tankers, government and industry sources said. This shifts the responsibility to Iran for insurance, sidestepping a ban in the EU on insurers from covering Iranian shipments... South Korean refiners and the National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC) are close to finalising a deal that would allow loading to resume from September, sources said.'Refiners have requested Iran to deliver crude, and the deal is almost reached,' a government source with direct knowledge of the matter said... Two refining sources confirmed the request had been made to NITC. SK Energy and Hyundai Oilbank are the only two South Korean refiners that import Iranian crude. The refiners would buy a similar quantity of oil as they had prior to the July stoppage, sources said. There may be some variance month by month due to the size of vessels available for imports from NITC, one refining source said." (Reuters, "S.Korea to resume buying Iranian crude in Sept," 8/8/12)

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"There's a 'high chance' that South Korea will resume importing Iranian crude oil in the near future, Minister of Knowledge Economy Hong Sukwoo said Thursday… Iranian officials have since offered accident insurance coverage worth a maximum of $1 billion on Iranian tankers shipping crude oil to South Korea, a Hyundai Oilbank official said earlier this month. Hyundai Oilbank and SK Energy, the two South Korean refiners that imported Iranian crude, are considering Iran's offer to provide shipping services, officials from both companies have said… South Korea usually imports around 10% of its crude-oil requirements from Iran, but that percentage declined to 7.4% in the first six months of this year." (Dow Jones, "S Korea Oil Imports to Iran Seen Restarting," 7/26/12)

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"South Korea became the first major Asian consumer of Iranian crude to announce a halt to imports after the government said they would be suspended from July 1 due to a European Union ban on insuring tankers carrying Iranian oil... Of South Korea's four refiners, only SK Energy and Hyundai Oilbank import Iranian crude. Sources said both refiners will stop importing from Iran when the EU insurance embargo takes effect from July 1." (Reuters, "South Korea to halt Iran oil imports as EU ban bites," 6/25/12)

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"Earlier this month, two South Korean shipping companies said they had suspended importing Iranian crude due to a separate EU embargo set to come into force from July. SK Shipping, which handles the needs of refiner SK Energy, said it shipped its last cargo from Iran early this month and it would arrive by the end of June... SK Energy and Hyundai Oilbank are the only Korean refiners still importing Iranian oil. They said the suspension was temporary as Seoul seeks an exemption from the EU measures." (France 24, "S.Korea reports sharp fall in Iran oil imports,"6/25/12)

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"SK Innovation fully owns SK Energy, the country's largest oil refiner, which relies on Iran for around 10%-15% of its crude-oil imports." (The Wall Street Journal, "Official: South Korea Has No Plans To Halt Iran Crude," 5/22/2012)

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"South Korea's largest oil refiner SK Energy <096770.KS> will stop Iranian oil imports after the ban takes effect, two sources with direct knowledge of the matter said on Monday... 'SK Energy won't lift Iranian crude oil after lifting a 2 million barrel cargo in early June,' one of the two sources said. SK Energy will not import Iranian oil for July arrival.'... SK Energy had agreed to import 130,000 barrels per day (bpd) of Iranian crude this year under a long-term supply deal, while Hyundai Oilbank had agreed to import 70,000 bpd." (Reuters, "Exclusive: South Korea poised to halt Iran oil imports from July: sources," 5/21/2012)
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"South Korea will make sharp cuts in imports of Iranian crude from June as tightening Western sanctions make it impossible to secure insurance cover for tankers to ship the crude, industry and company sources said... With no resolution in sight, Hyundai Oilbank, one of two buyers of Iranian oil in South Korea, has decided to stop lifting cargoes from June, industry sources told Reuters. But bigger counterpart SK Energy is sticking with its plan to lift annual committed volumes at least until June. For July onwards, SK Energy, the country's largest refiner, is in talks with the government to secure insurance cover for tankers shipping the oil. If the government disagrees, the company will have little option but to halt purchases, said the sources, who declined to be identified as they are not authorized to talk to the media." (Chicago Tribune, "South Korea's Iran crude imports to plunge from June: sources," 4/26/12)

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"SK Energy will buy the additional crude, taking 130,000 bpd in 2012, up 10,000 bpd on the year, a government source said. An SK Energy spokesman declined to comment when asked about the deal... SK Energy could replace Iranian oil with imports from elsewhere in the Middle East if it needed to, although that might cost more money, an SK Energy source said." (Reuters, "S.Korea buys more Iran oil but eyes alternatives," 1/4/2012)

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"'We don't see any impact on crude imports from Iran,' a source at South Korea's largest refiner SK Energy said. 'While we cannot disclose the term import barrels for 2011, I can tell next year's oil import from Iran will continue as much as this year's.'

 An official at Hyundai Oilbank also said the term volume for 2011 will be stable from 2010. SK Energy and Hyundai Oilbank are the only buyers of Iranian crude in the country among four refiners.    Trade with Iran accounts for less than 1.5 percent of South Korea's overall trade but Iran is an important supplier of crude oil to South Korea, which imports all of its crude needs.

 Iran is South Korea's fourth-largest crude supplier. South Korea imported 67.1 million barrels of Iranian crude between January and November this year, accounting for 8 percent of the country's total crude imports, down about 10 percent from a year earlier." (Reuters, "Iran's Asian crude buyers see flow steady despite financial sanctions," 12/30/10)