* Some 1,400 UK offshore workers are preparing to strike
within weeks at sites operated by major oil and gas companies,
the Unite union said on Monday.
* Prices of North Sea crude grades have recently come under
pressure from almost two weeks of strike action in France that
continued on Monday.
* The walkouts have hit the country's refineries and port deliveries, reducing French buying.
* France's crude and condensate imports have averaged just
550,000 barrels per day (bpd) this month, down by almost 50%
from the previous month, Kpler crude analyst Johannes Rauball
said.
* "WTI cargoes for May delivery compared with April are down
by $1.50-$2/bbl. Because of that, North Sea is having to price
lower to compete," one trader said.
* The Ekofisk North Sea crude grade, produced at a field in
Norway where TotalEnergies has equity, relies on France for
two-thirds of its export stream, Rauball said.
* No Ekofisk cargoes have been discharged in France this
month, Kpler data show.
* Ekofisk differentials to dated Brent on Friday
hit their lowest since January 2022.
PLATTS WINDOW
* Indications are on a free-on-board (FOB) basis unless
marked as cost, insurance and freight (CIF) or delivered at
place (DAP).
* There were no deals, bids or offers, a trade source said.
(Reporting by Rowena Edwards; Editing by Jan Harvey)
