Middle East crude benchmark spot premiums for Oman, Dubai and Murban slid on Thursday amid light trade.
Saudi Aramco, the world’s leading oil exporter, sharply increased crude prices for March shipments to buyers in Asia amid rising demand from China and India as U.S. sanctions disrupt Russian supply.
Aramco raised the official selling price for flagship Arab Light crude by $2.40 to $3.90 per barrel above the Oman/Dubai benchmark average, Saudi Aramco said in a statement on Wednesday.
The oil exporter steeply increased crude prices for March shipments across all other regions as well.
SINGAPORE CASH DEALS
Cash Dubai’s premium to swaps fell 14 cents to $3.45 a barrel.
NEWS
China’s retaliatory tariffs on the United States may cause U.S. oil exports to decline in 2025 for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic, after growth plateaued last year.
U.S. crude oil inventories rose sharply last week as demand softened on ongoing refinery maintenance, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) said on Wednesday.
Singapore onshore fuel oil stockpiles logged their highest volumes in two weeks, although levels dipped below the average, official data showed on Thursday.
The U.S. Department of Energy will prioritize expanding energy production over achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions, according to an order issued on Wednesday by Energy Secretary Chris Wright.
Source: Reuters