US is pursuing third oil tanker linked to Venezuela, highlighting escalating tensions between the two countries. The “active pursuit” pursuit of the tanker by the US Coast Guard is related to a “sanctioned dark fleet vessel that is part of Venezuela’s illegal sanctions evasion”, a US official said. “It is flying a false flag and under a judicial seizure order.” The news is a factor that’s lifting oil prices today. “The market is waking up to the fact that the Trump administration is taking a hardline approach to Venezuelan oil trade,” said June Goh, senior oil market analyst at Sparta Commodities.
