West African crude oil differentials were steady on Friday as a number of Angolan December cargoes remained unsold ahead of the release of the January schedule next week.

* Around 11-12 December cargoes remain unsold from the Angolan December loading programme, one trader said on Friday.

* Another said that plenty were available still, but that the overhang had started to clear quickly.

* Angola’s January loading programme is expected to emerge at the start of next week.

* Indonesia’s Pertamina bought 5 million barrels of Angolan and Nigerian crude this week, taking Girassol, Cabinda and Escravos from TotalEnergies, and Qua Iboe and Kissanje from ExxonMobil, according to one trader.

* Strong diesel margins in particular in Europe were helping to buoy demand for West African grades, despite persistently strong freight rates harming economics for longer voyages, a trader said on Friday.
Source: Reuters