* WCS for May delivery in Hardisty, Alberta, traded between $15.60 and $15.50 a barrel under WTI, according to brokerage CalRock, having traded between $15.75 and $15.50 a barrel under the U.S. benchmark on Wednesday.
* Despite the widening, Canadian heavy crude remains
relatively strong. The WCS differential reached its narrowest
level since last May in recent days at around $14 a barrel under
WTI.
* One market player said the market was holding steady, with
support for Canadian heavy and synthetic crude expected as oil
sands turnaround season ramps up. Maintenance at oil sands
projects typically cuts supply and boosts prices.
* Suncor Energy Syncrude project is undergoing
second quarter maintenance that will cut quarterly production by
40,000 barrels per day, according to the company website.
* Canadian Natural Resources Ltd said its Horizon
oil sands project will undergo a full maintenance shutdown in
May for 28 days, while the Scotford upgrader started a 73-day
turnaround in April.
* Light synthetic crude from the oil sands for May delivery
traded at $2.00 a barrel over WTI on Wednesday, but did not
change hands on Thursday, according to CalRock.
* Global oil prices were little changed but posted a third
weekly gain as markets weighed further production cuts targeted
by OPEC+ and falling U.S. oil inventories against fears about
the global economic outlook.
* The outright price of WCS was around $65 a barrel.
(Reporting by Nia Williams, editing by Deepa Babington)
