Exports of Malaysia's new Kimanis crude are expected to start in November while up to two cargoes are set to be lifted in October for domestic use, several market traders said Tuesday.
State-owned Petronas is expected to offer a cargo of the crude for loading in November later this month, they said.
Up to two October-loading cargoes will be lifted by equity holders for use by domestic refineries, they said.
Field operator Shell, which holds 33% interest in the development, and Petronas, which holds 20% interest, could not be contacted.
Petronas had previously indicated that the new Kimanis grade will eventually be part of the basket of crudes that make up the Malaysian Crude Oil Official Selling Price.
Kimanis crude is produced in the Gumusut-Kakap field offshore Sabah, which is Malaysia's second deepwater development after Kikeh.
Crude from the Gumusut-Kakap field is expected to be similar in quality to the neighboring Kikeh field, where crude has an API of 34.91 degrees and sulfur content of 0.105%.
At Shell's investor meeting held Friday in New York, CEO Ben van Beurdan said Gumusut-Kakap is on track for start-up in the second half of this year.
First oil from the floating production system at the Gumusut Field is expected at the end of the third quarter of 2014, ConocoPhillips and Murphy Oil had said in their preliminary second-quarter earnings reports on July 30.
ConocoPhillips Sabah holds 33% interest in the field while Murphy Sabah Oil holds a 14% interest.
The start of production from the Gumusut field will mark the full commissioning of the larger Gumusut-Kakap development across blocks K and J, which is expected to peak at 135,000 b/d, the partners had previously said.
