LONDON, July 18 (Reuters) - The last few Angolan crude
cargoes for August loading sold by Thursday as the September
preliminary export programmes emerged for several grades of
Nigerian crude, including Qua Iboe.
ANGOLA
* The small overhang -- the second month in a row -- of
Angolan August loading cargoes cleared, as cautious Chinese
buying has slowed sales.
* Improved East Asian margins and expected stock builds may
provide a boost to September buying, traders said.
* Angolan state oil company Sonangol had yet to completely
work out term allocations for September cargoes, and it remained
unclear which grades they would seek to sell as spot cargoes.
NIGERIA
* Nigeria's Qua Iboe crude oil stream will export six
cargoes in September plus two deferred from the previous month,
down from the 9 cargoes originally planned for August.
* Programmes for other main grades were expected imminently.
* Between 25-35 cargoes remained for August loading.
* Price offerings for top grades Qua Iboe and Bonny Light
were heard to stand between $2-$2.50 above dated Brent.
* Nigerian light sweet varieties are especially hard hit
amid reduced demand as the summer driving season winds down and
similar U.S. grades remain abundant.
TENDERS
* Indonesia's Pertamina has issued a tender for one cargo
per month for October-December delivery, set to close on Monday.
RELATED NEWS
* The Philadelphia Energy Solutions refinery, the oldest and
largest on the U.S. East Coast, is expected to shut its
remaining units on Monday as the plant uses up the last of its
crude supplies, sources said on Wednesday. * Iran said on Thursday it had seized a foreign tanker
smuggling fuel in the Gulf, and the U.S. military commander in
the region said the United States would work "aggressively" to
ensure free passage of vessels through the vital waterway.