IOC buys 4.8 mln barrels of W.African crude

SINGAPORE/TOKYO, Jan 12 (Reuters) Indian Oil Corp. (IOC) bought 4.8 million barrels of West African crude in a regular tender for end-February and March loading, traders said on Friday.

IOC bought three 950,000-barrel cargoes of Nigerian Escravos crude, together with 950,000 barrels of Nigerian Bonny Light and 1 million barrels of Angolan Girassol crude, traders said.

European trader Vitol sold the cargoes, traders said.

The deals could not be confirmed and price details had yet to emerge.

IOC bought two 950,000-barrel cargoes of Bonny Light crude in its previous tender, for end-January and February loading.

REUTERS CS DS1431