Sudan offers 2 million barrels of Nile Blend crude for February

December 23, 2007 (KHARTOUM) — Sudan National Petroleum Corp. (Sudapet) has issued a tender to sell two Nile Blend crude cargoes — 2 million barrels in total — for loading in February.

The tender for the light, sweet, waxy crude closes December 23 and stays valid until December 26, the Platts Commodity News reported.

Sudapet last sold 4 million barrels in four shipments for loading in January to Chinaoil, at discounts of $3.50/b-$4.75/b to the Indonesian crude prices for Minas.

Since last month, Nile Blend crude has also been sold on a dated Brent basis, after equity holder India’s Oil and Natural Gas Corp. switched its pricing benchmark for its Nile Blend offtake from ICP Minas to Platts Dated Brent crude assessments.

ONGC sold a 700,000-barrel cargo for January loading to Arcadia last month at minus $3-3.40/b to Platts Dated Brent assessments, sources said.

(ST)