RTRS:RPT-Med Crude-Urals weakens in Med, shuts arb from North
LONDON, June 13 (Reuters) - Russian Urals crude weakened in
the Mediterranean due to weak refining margins on Monday,
keeping the arbitrage from Northwest Europe shut although it had
been thought to open up.
URALS
* Vitol sold 80,000 tonnes for 2-6 July loading to ENI at
dated BFOE minus $2.05 a barrel cif. Friday's bid level was
dated minus $1.85.
* "Northwest Europe is around minus $2.40, so the arbitrage
closed on that," a trader said.
* On Friday, some traders said the arbitrage to ship Urals
crude from Northwest Europe to the Mediterranean could open up
due to the fall in the north.
* The spread between 80,000 tonne and 100,000 tonne cargoes
were little changed from late last week around 65 cents per
tonne.
* Urals activity was relatively quiet due partly to the
public holiday in Russia.
MIXED SIGNAL ON LIGHTS
* Light crude oil grades traded thinly but spot premiums
were steady-to-firmer despite traders' expectation.
* Traders said CPC Blend probably traded at dated BFOE plus
80 cents per barrel.
* Azeri Light was around dated plus $4.00/$4.30 cif.
* Most traders said sweet crude prices have peaked as
distressed barrels of West African crude was offered into the
Mediterranean.
* Vitol offered Oso Condensate at dated plus $2.45 a barrel
and Bonga at dated plus $4.20 a barrel for early July cif
Rotterdam or Lavera.
* On the other hand, Mediterranean light crude might benefit
from the force majeure on Bonny Light. [ID:nLDE75C179]
REFINING MARGINS
* Oil product prices lagged behind the sharp rise in ICE
Brent crude prices.
* European gasoline's crack to dated Brent dipped to a three
month low of around $2.40 a barrel. ICE gas oil futures' crack
was $12.51 a barrel.
* With high sulphur fuel oil's crack fell to about minus $20
a barrel, overall complex refining margins in the Mediterranean
fell to minus $2.99 a barrel, Reuters model showed.
(Reporting by Ikuko Kurahone)