Hyundai Oilbank Co.’s recent opening of a small Houston office may have been modest in scale, but it was very much a sign of the times. The refiner became the second South Korean processor after SK Innovation Co. to establish an American presence to potentially buy shale oil directly and charter its own vessels. The move -- aimed at cutting costs by reducing reliance on traders and cargo brokers -- is also emblematic of a wider trend. As well as refiners, big energy traders and national oil companies are expanding beyond their traditional roles. Trafigura Group is planning to build a floating jetty off Texas to allow ... (full story)