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CANADA-CRUDE-Heavy oil discount rate narrows as TMX starts operating

The discount rate on Western Canada Select ( WCS) heavy crude versus the North American criteria West Texas Intermediate (WTI) tightened on Wednesday, as commercial operations got underway on the longanticipated Trans Mountain pipeline growth (TMX):

* WCS for May delivery in Hardisty, Alberta, traded at $ 11.75 a barrel below WTI, according to brokerage CalRock, after closing at $12.20 a barrel below the benchmark on Tuesday.

* The Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project (TMX) began industrial operations on Wednesday, and tankers will have the ability to load at Westridge Marine Terminal in the Port of Vancouver by mid-May.

* TMX nearly triples the flow of crude from Alberta to the Pacific Coast to 890,000 barrels each day.

* Numerous experts anticipate it will assist tighten heavy crude differentials to less than $10 a barrel below WTI by getting rid of export pipeline bottlenecks and requiring U.S. refiners to complete with worldwide purchasers for Canadian barrels.

* Cenovus Energy reported higher-than-expected first-quarter earnings due to increased production and refinery throughput, and executives said the start-up of TMX would open up brand-new markets.

* Worldwide oil rates fell about 3% to a seven-week low on a. surprise build in U.S. unrefined stocks, the possibility of a Middle. East ceasefire contract and as hopes faded for near-term U.S. rate of interest cuts that might increase oil demand.