--Middle East

　In other trade for May-loading Oman, Shandong Yulong Petrochemical was said to have bought 2mil barrels of May-loading Oman from a player in China seen as United Petroleum & Chemicals Co (UNIPEC). Yulong Petrochemical was scheduled to start operations of its No 2 Crude Distillation Unit (CUD, 200,000b/d) at petrochemical complex project in Shandong Province in end-March. Thus, the company increased intake of medium-heavy grades for delivery to its refinery.

--Africa/Europe/Russia/America

　Dangote group with the largest 650,000 barrels per day (b/d) refinery in Nigeria was said to have purchased Equatorial Guinea's Ceiba and Brazil's Buzios for April-loading in the spot market. Furthermore, the company was said to take back Nigerian new crude Utapate to the refinery. Utapate is a new crude launched to the international market from the second half of 2024. The crude is a light sweet grade with an API gravity of about 44 degrees. Nigeria apparently aimed to double production of Utapate to 8,000 barrels per day (b/d) by the end of 2025 from about 4,000 b/d.

--Asia Pacific

　Malaysia's state-owned Petronas on Wednesday sold Kimanis for May 26-30 loading via a tender. The buyer was PTT Public Co. and the price was at premiums in the high $6's to Dated Brent. Meanwhile, Petronas skipped selling May-loading Labuan, according to sources.