Middle East Crude-Oman, Murban premiums fall; Dubai steady

SINGAPORE, Sept 30 (Reuters) - Spot premiums for Middle East crude benchmarks Oman and Murban declined on Wednesday as supply concerns eased after data suggested flows through the Strait of Hormuz were recovering.

Meanwhile, Dubai premium held steady.

Goldman Sachs, in a note on Tuesday, estimated Gulf oil exports, including "dark exports" involving ships operating with their location transponders turned off, have recovered to 23.3 million barrels per day over the last week, in line with their 2025 average, as exports doubled in September.

Oil prices steadied on Wednesday but remained on track for a big monthly gain as US-Iran talks aimed at ending their war stalled, while tight fuel markets continued to underpin prices despite recovering Middle East crude supplies. O/R

Iraq's state oil marketer SOMO has offered steeper discounts for term buyers to lift October-loading oil, according to traders and a document reviewed by Reuters on Wednesday.

SOMO offered discounts of $34.50 and $37 per barrel for Basrah Medium and Basrah Heavy crude on a free-on-board basis from the Basrah Oil Terminal or Iraq's single-point moorings and associated facilities, the document showed.

SPOT TENDER

Indian Oil Corp IOC.NS, the country's largest refiner, is seeking to buy one to two million barrels of Iraq's Basrah Medium crude via a spot tender, two traders said on Wednesday.

The refiner has requested the oil for loading during October 22-30. The tender closes on Wednesday.

SINGAPORE CASH DEALS

Cash Dubai's premium to swaps rose 8 cents to $12.89 a barrel.

Unipec will deliver a November-loading Oman crude cargo to TotalEnergies following the deals.

PRICES ($/BBL)

NEWS

Qatari producer UCC Oil and Gas Holding is in talks for a possible entrance into new fields in Venezuela, the company's head of Upstream, Erik Keskula, said on Tuesday at a conference in Caracas.

An explosion was reported at the third phase of the MRPL refinery in India's Mangaluru, according to local media sources.

An emergency MRPL team was responding to the incident.

OPEC+ oil-producing countries are likely to keep their oil production targets steady for November when they meet on Sunday, two sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters.

US forces are set to withdraw from their last bases in Iraq on Wednesday, a departure celebrated as a victory by Iran and its allies, which ​have deep influence in the country where 4,500 Americans died during more than two decades of war.

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