Kuwait's KPC offers July-loading heavy crude South Ratqa cargo -sources

SINGAPORE  -

* Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) has offered a 650,000-barrel spot cargo of Kuwait South Ratqa crude for loading over July 20-21 via a tender, three sources said

* This is the third South Ratqa crude cargo being offered to the market. The first two, loading in May and June respectively, were both sold to India via tenders, two of the sources said

* South Ratqa crude is also known as Kuwait Heavy, with an API gravity of 14.5 degrees and a price escalator/de-escalator

* The tender closes on Thursday with bids valid until Friday

* KPC was previously planning to bring the new grade to the market in the fourth quarter of last year urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL4N2590UE

(Reporting by Shu Zhang; editing by Jason Neely) ((shu.zhang@thomsonreuters.com; +65-6870-3549; Reuters Messaging: Twitter @shuzhang4))