Middle East Crude

　Kuwait's state-owned Kuwait Petroleum Corp (KPC) sold 500,000bbl each of Kuwait Heavy Crude (KHC) for prompt Dec 6-7 loading and Eocene for Dec 8-9 loading in a tender closed on Nov 12. The winner was India's independent firm Reliance Industries Limited (RIL). As for the awarded price, "Considering these cargoes were for super prompt-loading, the prices appear to be quite cheap. It would not be surprising if the prices are at discounts of $6-8 to Dubai/Oman average, "said an end-user in India. In Kuwait, operating rates of the 615,000 barrels per day (b/d) Al Zour refinery were lowered following a fire at a secondary unit at the refinery in late October. The fire created surplus avails for medium/heavy grades and KPC continued to sell cargoes in the international market. The sell tender this time for December-loading KHC and Eocene was issued after the restart of the secondary unit at the refinery was postponed to mid-December from late November.

African/European/Russian/American Crude

　 In trade for Sudanese grades, December-loading Dar Blend and Nile Blend tenders were likely to be issued soon. There had been concerns that the worsening domestic situation due to the civil war in Sudan would result in significant delays to shipments for December loading crude oils and the cancellation of spot sales as reported. Delays to December-loading cargoes were expected to be limited to a few days, and spot supply would proceed as usual, according to sources.

Asia Pacific Crude

　 In the trade of January-loading Vietnamese grades, state-owned PV Oil awarded its Thang Long sell tender. The winner was PTT Public Co in Thailand. In the tender closed on Nov 13, with validity until Nov 20, PV Oil offered one 250,000bbl cargo of Thang Long for Jan 23-28 loading. Following the tender, PV Oil finished spot sales for January-loading. Supplies by PV Oil for January loading were limited to a total of two cargoes - Ruby and Thang Long.