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CANADA-CRUDE-Heavy oil discount rate edges wider

The discount on Western Canada Select ( WCS) heavy crude versus the North American standard West Texas Intermediate (WTI) widened a little on Thursday:

* WCS for May shipment in Hardisty, Alberta, traded at $ 11.90 a barrel listed below WTI, according to brokerage CalRock, after closing at $11.75 a barrel below the criteria on Wednesday.

* Canadian heavy crude stays near to its narrowest levels this year after the Trans Mountain pipeline growth task ( TMX) started commercial operations on Wednesday.

* Lots of analysts anticipate TMX will assist tighten up 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.

* Canada's biggest oil and gas producer Canadian Natural Resources said it is looking at opportunities to significantly increase bitumen output at its main oil sands mine.

* Global oil costs settled near their most affordable level in seven weeks, under pressure from weaker international demand, rising inventories and fading wish for a quick cut in U.S. interest rates.