An estimated 4.2 million barrels or 140,000 b/d of South Sudan's Dar Blend crude oil is expected to be exported in November, down 8.7% from 4.6 million barrels due to be exported in October, trade sources said Monday.
A total of five cargoes -- two of 600,000 barrels and three of 1 million barrels -- are scheduled for lifting in November, the sources said.
Dar Blend is a heavy, acidic crude produced at the Block 3 and Block 7 oil fields in South Sudan's Upper Nile State.
Malaysia's Petronas, which holds a 40% interest in Dar Petroleum Operating Company, on Monday issued a tender offering 1 million barrels of Dar Blend crude for loading over November 25-26. The tender will close on Tuesday.
Apart from this, the state-owned firm was heard to have sold 600,000 barrels of the crude for loading over November 7-8 to Unipec via another tender that closed last week.
Petronas is said to market the barrels on behalf of other equity holders of the crude grade, which included China National Petroleum Corporation, which holds a 41% interest in Dar Petroleum Operating Company.
Other stakeholders include South Sudan's Nilepet (8%), China's Sinopec (6%) and Egypt Kuwait Holding (3.6%), according to the US Energy Information Administration's website.
Apart from Petronas, South Sudan's Ministry of Petroleum and Mining has also offered a total of 2.6 million barrels of Dar Blend crude for November, down slightly from 3 million barrels for October.
The ministry was heard to have sold two 1 million-barrel cargoes for loading over November 18-19 and November 30-December 1 and one 600,000-barrel cargo for November 12-13 to Unipec via a tender last week, traders said.
South Sudan's Dar Blend crude production has remained relatively stable, largely left unscathed by the fighting in the country that has affected production of the country's other crude export, Nile Blend, trade sources said.
Production of Nile Blend crude from South Sudan's Unity state remains shut-in after rebels halted production following a failed coup against President Salva Kiir on December 15.
The South Sudan government had said it is working to restart the oilfields in Unity, which previously produced 40,000-50,000 b/d, but has yet to say when output might resume.
