Originally Posted by RockyBoy

They are using it to get Texas oil from the Eagle Ford to PA. Bakken oil is almost all going to the east coast on rail. Some is getting to the gulf via Cushing, but it gets all mixed in with everything else that goes to Cushing.

Smart move really because by time they pay a shipping company to get it to PA it was about what the Brent price was. So by getting a ship they can get Crude at a cheaper price than Brent into the refinery. They did buy Bakken crude for awhile but it must be cheaper to buy a ship and get WTI?

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/...0PZ21R20140725

Article is from July and since then a lot has changed as far as Bakken vs. WTI vs. Brent. Does give you insight into what the original idea was for the ship though.