LONDON, March 2 (Reuters) - Sales of West African cargoes
continued to be muted as concerns lingered over crude and
products demand in key markets.
* Angola's Sonangol left its price offerings for its last
two crude oil cargoes for April export, Cabinda and Girassol,
unchanged at $3.50 and $3 a barrel above dated Brent,
respectively.
* It sold its cargo of Dalia, though the identity of the
buyer did not emerge, as differentials for the once wildly
popular grade are down at least $2 from 2019 highs.
* China's marine fuels sales fell by as much as 50% in
February as the coronavirus and prolonged Lunar New Year break
strangled freight movement. * London employees at Unipec, the trading arm of China's
state oil firm Sinopec, have been told to work from home after
an employee exhibited coronavirus-like symptoms, a source
familiar with the matter said. * Price offers for lighter Nigerian crude grades, seldom
sold in the far East, had yet to be significantly affected with
Qua Iboe and Bonny Light both still being offered for $2.50
above dated Brent, in line with earlier months.
* Nigeria's Bonga oilfield, operated by Shell, will be
undergoing maintenance that has curtailed its preliminary April
export programme to a single cargo, though the impact on
production and exact dates are still being finalised.
* Heavier Nigerian grades have suffered, however, as middle
distillate margins in key European markets have hit multi-year
lows. NEWS
* Puma Energy, the fuel retail arm of global commodities
trader Trafigura, has agreed a shareholder restructuring that
would reduce the stake of a retired Angolan general to less than
5%. * India expects its refined products demand growth to
rebound to 3.8% in the financial year beginning April, tracking
improved economic growth, according to government estimates that
were made in January before the coronavirus broke out.