SINGAPORE- Middle East crude benchmarks Oman and Dubai strengthened on Thursday as more buying interests emerged and Russian ESPO crude slightly rebounded.

Japan's Fuji Oil and Malaysia's Petronas closed spot tenders seeking October-loading Murban crude, traders said.

Thailand's IRPC has bought UAE crude via a spot tender, but further details were not yet clear.

 

RUSSIAN CRUDE:

Spot premiums for October-loading Russian ESPO Blend crude, a China-focused grade, have slightly rebounded.

Russian oil producer Surgut sold two cargoes at premiums of around 50 cents and around 80 cents a barrel to Dubai quotes to Gunvor and Mercuria via its third spot tender, traders said. 

 

AIA-PACIFIC CRUDE:

Vietnam's PV Oil has offered October-loading cargoes of Bunga Kekwa, Ruby and Thang Long crude via spot tenders closing on Thursday and Friday, with bids valid for a week.

Petronas closed a spot tender selling a cargo of Bunga Orkid crude loading Oct. 12-18.

BHP sold a cargo of Australian Cossack crude loading Oct. 28-Nov. 1 at a discount of around $3 to dated Brent, traders said.

 

NEWS

OPEC and its allies pressed oil nations pumping above output targets to cut more in August-September amid fears oil demand recovery was slow while saying it could reach pre-pandemic levels by the year-end. 

U.S. crude oil stockpiles fell last week even as net imports jumped sharply, while fuel demand dipped as well, the U.S. Energy Information Administration said on Wednesday. 

The United States is considering an October deadline for ending exemptions to Venezuelan sanctions that allow some companies and refiners to still receive the South American producer's oil, two sources said, as Washington seeks to raise the heat on President Nicolas Maduro. 

Russia's Gazprom Neft, the oil business of state gas company Gazprom, on Thursday reported a near 80% slump in second-quarter net profit to 22 billion roubles ($297 million) due to weak oil prices.

Australia's No. 2 independent gas producer Santos Ltd paid out a weaker than expected half-year dividend amid uncertainty over a recovery from the coronavirus pandemic, as the oil market slump halved its first-half underlying profit. 

China's national offshore oil and gas producer CNOOC Ltd said first-half profit slumped by nearly two-thirds to the lowest since December 2017, as the pandemic battered energy demand and sent oil prices to historical lows. 

(Reporting By Shu Zhang; Editing by Amy Caren Daniel) ((shu.zhang@thomsonreuters.com; +65-6870-3549; Reuters Messaging: Twitter @shuzhang4))