LONDON, April 20 (Reuters) - Low demand and stiff
competition by competing grades meant sales of West African
crude were slow on Tuesday and large overhangs from previous
months remained.
* Sales of heavy sweet Djeno crude from Congo were
especially slow as main customer China held off on purchases.
* As many as five cargoes of the grade remain for sale even
before publication of the June-loading programme, including a
couple April-loading barrels. Offers are as low as dated Brent
minus $2 a barrel.
* Sales for competing Brazilian sweet crude grade Tupi were
better but had also slowed, with sale prices at premiums of
about $1.
* Ancap purchased a cargo of Okwuibome Nigerian crude in its
latest buy tender, which closed late last week, traders said.
* Traders awaited results of buy tenders from Taiwan's CPC
and Thailand's PTT for July-arriving crude. The tenders are set
to close this week.
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* Italy's Eni is considering spinning off oil and gas
operations in West Africa and the Middle East into new joint
ventures to help to reduce debt and fund its shift to low-carbon
energy, company and industry sources said. * China's March imports of crude oil from top supplier Saudi
Arabia rose 8.8% from a year earlier, driven by strong demand
and as delayed shipments finally arrived after port congestion.