LONDON, Aug 29 (Reuters) - Few clues emerged on price levels
for Nigerian oil on Thursday as traders said sales were
relatively muted and most transactions were occurring via
tenders.
NIGERIA
* Prices were heard to be under pressure due to the end of
the summer driving season in the United States and robust
imports of comparable U.S. grades
* Capping off a difficult summer, Nigerian official selling
prices (OSPs) were mostly down last week in a sign that demand
was seen to be relatively depressed.
* Around 15 Nigerian cargoes remained for export in
September.
* Astron Energy in South Africa was heard to have awarded a
tender which closed on Wednesday to Glencore (LON:GLEN) with a cargo of
Okwuibome.
* A tender by Vietnam's PV Oil for sweet crude loading in
early October was likely awarded to BP (LON:BP) with a cargo of Bonny
Light.
* Traders said it was one of the first times Nigerian crude
was destined for the southeast Asian country, a bright spot as
Nigeria struggles to find new markets.
ANGOLA
* Trading was muted as buyers continued to resist high offer
prices.
* Chinese independent refiners are looking to fulfill
ongoing tenders, which may soon clear some Angolan supply.
* Around 20 of Angola's planned 44 cargoes for export in
October had been sold, but most of that was in the form of term
allocations, pointing to relatively sluggish sales.
* The steep asking prices for Angolan crude made competing
Middle Eastern grades more attractive, as the cash premium for
high-sulphur fuel oil (HSFO) in Asia hit record highs.
TENDERS
* Indonesia's Pertamina issued a buy tender for November
delivery of West African crude cargoes. The tender closes on
Friday and remains valid until Sept. 3.
RELATED NEWS
* Nigerian assets are at risk worldwide in $9 billion
arbitration case. * U.S. sour crude prices this week tumbled to the lowest in
a year alongside a drop in high-sulfur fuel oil as marine
shippers gear up to meet environmental rules, traders said.