Amman(DOW JONES) - Iraq has raised the official selling prices of its Basra Light crude for August to the US and Europe, while leaving the price unchanged for customers in Asia, head of the State Oil Marketing Organization, or SOMO, told Dow Jones Newswires Monday. Basra light crude for US customers was priced in August at $1.75 a barrel below the Argus sour crude Index or ASCI, an increase from a difference of $2.00 a barrel in July, Falah Alamri said by telephone from Baghdad. Basra light crude for delivery to European buyers in August was priced at $ 4.55 a barrel below Dated Brent, up from minus $5.25 a barrel in the previous month, he said. Iraq kept prices of Kirkuk oil flat to the US, but raised the prices in its offering to Europe. Kirkuk crude to customers in the US in Aug was left as it was in the previous month to its original ASCI price. The Kirkuk crude for European buyers was priced in August at $2.75 a barrel below dated brent, from minus $3.55 a barrel in July, he added. Basra light crude August price for customers in Asia were left unchanged compared with the original Oman/Dubai quotes. - By Hassan Hafidh; Dow Jones Newswires +962 799 831 831; hassan.hafidh@ dowjones.com

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