US Cash Crude-Grades mixed as US crude futures contract expires

Feb 20 (Reuters) - Grades were mixed on Thursday as the U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures front month contract CLc1 expired.

Mars eased 15 cents, while WTI Midland climbed 10 cents and WTI at East Houston held steady.

Traders use the three-day roll period following the expiry of the WTI contract to square positions and manage exposure, resulting in more volatile trading.

U.S. crude oil stockpiles rose while gasoline and distillate inventories fell last week as seasonal maintenance at refineries led to lower processing, the Energy Information Administration said on Thursday.

Crude inventories rose by 4.6 million barrels to 432.5 million barrels in the week ended February 14, the EIA said, compared with analysts' expectations in a Reuters poll for a 3.1 million-barrel build.

Crude stocks at the Cushing, Oklahoma, delivery hub rose by 1.5 million barrels last week to 23.3 million barrels.

Refinery crude runs fell by 15,000 barrels per day (bpd), and utilization rates fell by 0.1 percentage point in the week to 84.9% of total capacity.

Independent refiner HF Sinclair DINO.N plans to operate its seven refineries at 91% of combined capacity of 678,000 bpd in the first quarter, Atanas Atanasov, chief financial officer, said during a conference call.

Light Louisiana Sweet WTC-LLS for March delivery was flat at a midpoint of a $2.90 premium and was seen bid and offered between a $2.50 and $3.30 a barrel premium to U.S. crude futures CLc1

Mars Sour WTC-MRS eased 15 cents to a midpoint of a $1.75 premium and was seen bid and offered between a $1.50 and $2 a barrel premium to U.S. crude futures CLc1

WTI Midland WTC-WTM firmed 10 cents at a midpoint of a $1.55 premium and was seen bid and offered between a $1.35 and $1.75 a barrel premium to U.S. crude futures CLc1

West Texas Sour WTC-WTS was flat at a midpoint of a $1 premium and was seen bid and offered between a 80-cent and $1.20 a barrel premium to U.S. crude futures CLc1

WTI at East Houston WTC-MEH, also known as MEH, traded between a $1.45 and $1.85 a barrel premium to U.S. crude futures CLc1

ICE Brent April futures LCOc1 rose 44 cents to settle at $76.48 a barrel

WTI April crude CLc1 futures rose 38 cents to settle at $72.48 a barrel

The Brent/WTI spread <WTCLc1-LCOc1> widened 5 cents to last trade at minus $3.99, after hitting a high of minus $3.92 and a low of minus $4.02.