LONDON, Dec 20 (Reuters) - Angolan state oil company
Sonangol finalized its term allocations for cargoes in February
while preliminary export programmes for key Nigerian grades
emerged.
ANGOLA
* Of the 38 cargoes planned for export in February and not
deferred from previous weeks, 3 were assigned to China's Unipec,
6 to Sinochem and 2 to India's IOC.
* Sonangol will have 6 spot cargoes including two of Dalia
crude oil and one each of Hungo, Olombendo and Gindungo, with
the final cargo apparently being absorbed into the domestic
refining system.
* Freight rates that have been rising again due to delays
related to the upcoming switch to cleaner fuels in January have
steadied somewhat for a supertanker eastward but remain near
2019 highs.
* Some potential buyers expressed scepticism about whether
usual brisk pre-holidays trading would soon kick in, as margins,
market structure and expected tender results have muted trading.
* Under five cargoes remain for January export.
NIGERIA
* Exports of Nigerian Qua Iboe and Bonny Light crude oil are
both set around 230,000 barrels per day (bpd) for February, a
slight rise for Qua Iboe and fall for Bonny Light from the
previous month.
* Suezmax shipping rates from Nigeria to Europe have
persistently inched up, dissuading buyers already reluctant to
meet high asking prices near 2019 highs.
TENDERS
* India's IOC issued a short tender after its last tender
for crude loading Feb. 1-10 did not secure a West African grade.
* India's HPCL issued a new tender closing next week.
RELATED NEWS
* Nigeria's former attorney general was detained by the
financial crimes agency on his return home on Thursday as part
of an investigation into one of the oil industry's biggest
suspected corruption scandals. * Royal Dutch Shell RDSa.L said on Friday it expected to
write down up to $2.3 billion in the fourth quarter, the latest
major energy company forced to shrink estimates for sector
values due to a weaker economic outlook.