Urals crude differentials were steady again on Friday, while Iraq and foreign oil firms made conflicting statements on Kurdish oil exports resumption.

Eight international oil firms operating in Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdistan region said they would not resume oil exports through Turkey’s Ceyhan on Friday despite an announcement from Baghdad that the restart was imminent.

Oil prices fell more than 1% on Friday and were headed for their first monthly drop since November, as markets braced for Washington’s new tariffs and Iraq’s decision to resume oil exports from the Kurdistan region.

PLATTS WINDOW

No bids or offers were shown for Urals, Azeri BTC and CPC Blend in the Platts window on Friday.

NEWS

China’s imports of Russian Far East crude and Iranian oil are set to rebound in March as non-sanctioned tankers, drawn by lucrative payoffs, joined the trade replacing vessels under U.S. embargo, trade sources and analysts said.
Source: Reuters