CORRECTED-Middle East Crude-Benchmarks extend losses as refining margins weaken

Kitco Media
By Reuters
Published:
Updated:
Reuters
(correct the Singapore Cash Dubai value, table) SINGAPORE, April 19 (Reuters) - Middle East crude benchmarks Oman and Murban continued to weaken on Wednesday amid plunging refining margins in the region. The refining margin for a typical Asian refiner, who processes the Middle Eastern crude, fell to $1.99 a barrel - the lowest level since late-October. Thailand's IRPC did not award the purchase tender, which closed earlier this week, signalling a bearish market sentiment. "People are holding back procurement and watching if the prices would drop further," a Singapore-based trader said. Litasco is heard having sold a cargo of May-loading Basrah Medium at about $0.80 a barrel to its official selling price this week, trading sources said.


ASIAN REFINERIES Saudi Aramco offered more vacuum gasoil (VGO) supplies to be exported from its Jizan refinery in May, according to traders and shipping data, in a sign that the refinery is yet to ramp up to full output. The Jizan refinery, Aramco's newest facility, had been expected to ramp up output for 10-ppm gasoil and cut VGO exports this quarter when it hits full capacity. SINGAPORE CASH DEALS


Cash Dubai's premium to swaps dropped 14 cents to $1.77 a barrel.


Seller-Buyer



Price




PETROCHINA-PHILLIPS 66


83.60




RELIANCE-VITOL


83.55




PETROCHINA-VITOL


83.55




RELIANCE-GUNVOR


83.45




RELIANCE-VITOL


83.55




PETROCHINA-VITOL


83.55




PETROCHINA-GLENCORE


83.50




PETROCHINA-GLENCORE


83.50




PETROCHINA-VITOL


83.55




PETROCHINA-GLENCORE


83.50




PETROCHINA-VITOL


83.55



PRICES ($/BBL) CURRENT PREV SESSION DME OMAN 83.61 84.67 DME OMAN DIFF TO DUBAI 1.83 1.93 CASH DUBAI 84.65 83.55




NEWS The clear winner in the race to replace Russian oil at Europe's refineries is Norway's Johan Sverdrup crude, according to Refinitiv Eikon data and traders. Exxon Mobil Corp in Nigeria declared force majeure on oil liftings from different terminals in the country following industrial action by the company's in-house workers union, the company said on Monday in a statement. India and China have snapped up the vast majority of Russian oil so far in April at prices above the Western price cap of $60 per barrel, according to traders and Reuters calculations. China's diesel exports shipments surged to 1.44 million tonnes, up 113.8% in March, from 0.67 million tonnes a year ago, data from the General Administration of Customs showed on Tuesday.


For crude prices, oil product cracks and refining margins, please click on the RICs below.
Brent Dubai DME Oman Brent/Dubai EFS PRODUCT CRACKS
Fuel oil crack Gasoil crack Naphtha crack Complex refining margins (Reporting by Muyu Xu; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips)


Asia Europe Americas CRUDE OIL MARKET NEWS
Crude oil tenders in Asia Crude oil supply outages in Asia Refinery outages in Asia Global arbitrage news and flows W.African crude imports to Asia, monthly REFINERY MAINTENANCE DIARIES
Asia Middle East Europe NATIONAL CRUDE IMPORT DATA
Japan China India S.Korea Indonesia CRUDE OIL INVENTORY DATA
Japan US Europe CRUDE OIL PRODUCTION/OILFIELD NEWS
OPEC output survey New Africa fields New projects New Americas fields CRUDE OIL MARKET REPORTS
Middle East Asia-Pacific West Africa North Sea Asia outlook Europe outlook Global futures report Technicals report PRICES
For all Official Selling Prices For a POLL on oil prices NYMEX and ICE oil futures TOCOM crude oil futures Dubai, Oman swaps and spread Middle East physical crude diffs Australia physical crude, Tapis swaps Asia-Pacific physical crude All Asian crude oil differentials All Asian crude oil outright prices ))
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