Saudi Aramco, the largest supplier of liquefied petroleum gas to Asia, boosted prices for cargoes loading in December to a record after crude oil costs rose.

The Dhahran, Saudi Arabia-based company increased propane prices for December by 18 percent to $860 a metric ton from November. The company raised butane prices by 17 percent to $885 a ton, said a company official who asked not to be identified because of company rules.

Aramco sells its LPG under one-year contracts and individual cargoes for immediate delivery. The cargoes are sold free-on-board, requiring the buyers to pay for any shipping costs to the destination.

LPG, produced by oil refining and a by-product of crude oil and natural gas output, is used for heating, cooking and transportation, and is also processed into petrochemicals.