U.S. WTI Midland crude differentials were steady on Friday while North Sea grades were also steady as attention turned to the release of December’s loading programmes.

DECEMBER PROGRAMMES

Loading programmes for Troll and Oseberg, two of the six grades that underpin the dated Brent benchmark, were issued on Friday. Programmes for the rest of the North Sea grades comprising the benchmark are due on Monday.

PLATTS WINDOW

Indications are on a free-on-board (FOB) basis unless marked as cost, insurance and freight (CIF) or delivered at place (DAP).

No deals, a trade source said.

WTI Midland: Trafigura bid for a Nov. 17-21 cargo at dated Brent plus $2.30, unchanged from a bid on Thursday.

The bid equated to around dated Brent plus 66 cents on a FOB basis, according to Reuters calculations, down from plus 70 cents on Thursday.

WTI remained the lowest-priced grade in the Brent basket on Friday, according to Reuters calculations.

North Sea grades: There were no pricing indications on Friday, the trade source said.
Source: Reuters (Reporting by Alex Lawler; Editing by Jonathan Oatis)