Middle East

　Japan's Fuji Oil secured one cargo each of Abu Dhabi Upper Zakum and Dubai crude and two cargoes of Qatar Land through its November-loading sour crude buy tender closed on Sep 18. The price of Upper Zakum cargo was a premium of 10-20cts to OSP, the Dubai was sold at a discount of 60cts to Dubai quotes, and the Qatar Land cargoes were sold at small premiums to OSP. The details of the sellers were unknown but US Phillips 66 apparently sold at least one cargo of Qatar Land.

Africa/Europe/Russia/America

　Spot differentials for November-loading Sakhalin Sokol dropped. Demand for Sokol was sluggish as crack margins for jet fuels remained weak in Asia, sending the prices lower. ExxonMobil was said to have sold Sokol by early this week through private negotiation. The details of the buyer were unclear but the price was believed to be at a discount of around 60cts to Dubai quotes. Before the deal, India's Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) sold a second-half November-loading cargo through its sell tender closed on Sep 18. The buyer was US Chevron and it would supply the cargo to South Korean GS Caltex, an affiliated company in Chevron. The price was at a discount of 10-20cts to Dubai quotes when the deal changed hands.

Asia Pacific

　Spot differentials for Australia's Vincent for November-loading gained. Demand for Australia's heavy grades as a feedstock for bunker fuel oil increased on the back of solid requirements for low sulfur bunker fuel oil. Australia's Woodside Petroleum was said to have sold Vincent for second-half loading. The cargo fetched a premium of about $6.00 to Dated Brent. A total of two cargoes for Vincent were available for November-loading. The other cargo for first-half loading was allocated to Mitsui & Co.