Most refiners had cut sales in the last and first quarters of the year due to domestic heating oil demand and exclusive exports to Japan."From April, we are exporting jet fuel again as the kerosene market is not so good because in April Japanese buyers are not going to buy Korean barrels," one trader based in Seoul said.

Traders said several jet fuel cargoes of 30,000 tonnes each were being quietly offered by refiners like SK Corp, Ssangyong Oil and LG-Caltex Oil at around flat to Singapore prices on a free-on-board basis. Oil majors like BP Amoco and Mobil Corp had bought a cargo each recently for first half of April lifting, at slight discounts to Singapore prices, they said.Korean barrels would supply South China's aviation fuel demand while some may look at arbitraging cargoes to the United States. Korean refiners did not export jet fuelcargoes in the first quarter of the year as many sought to meet domestic and Japanese kerosene demand instead. Japanese grade kerosene had commanded high premiums.