Iraq's State Oil Marketing Organisation(SOMO)has this morning adjusted its official selling prices for its Basra Light and Kirkuk crude grades for January.
In common with some other countries,Iraq's oil is priced relative to regional benchmark prices:
For shipments to US,contracts are priced are relative to the Argus Sour Crude Index(ASCI);Shipments to Europe are priced relative the North Sea Spot BFOE;andAsian shipmentas are priced relative to the Dubai-Oman crude benchmark,published by Platts,the energy-information division of McGraw-Hill.
The new prices to Europe are as follows:
Kirkuk crude to Europe will sell at a discount of$2.35 a barrel relative to the North Sea(Dated Brent)benchmark,compared to a discount of?$1.90 previously;Basra Light to Europe will sell at a discount of$4.60 a barrel to Dated Brent,compared to a discount of$3.85 previously.
And to the US:Basrah Light will sell at a$2.20 discount to the U.S.benchmark,up 40 cents on the previous month.Kirkuk will sell at a premium of 60 cents,up from par last month.
To Asia:Basrah Light to Asia will sell at a premium of 5 cents to the benchmark,the same as last month.
