US Cash Crude-Grades Rise as WTI/Brent spread widens

Sept 29 (Reuters) - U.S. crude grades were little changed on Monday, dealers said, as the spread between West Texas Intermediate crude futures and global benchmark Brent held steady.

WTI Midland was unchanged at a 95-cent premium, while WTI at East Houston , also known as MEH, eased 10 cents and Mars eased 5 cents.

The discount of WTI to Brent WTCLc1-LCOc1 widened to as much as minus $4.55 a barrel. A spread less than -$4 a barrel boosts demand for U.S. crude abroad.

Meanwhile, OPEC+ will likely approve another oil production increase of at least 137,000 barrels per day at its meeting next Sunday, as rising oil prices encourage the group to try to further regain market share, three sources said, adding to supply concerns.

Saudi Arabia, the world's biggest oil exporter, is expected to lift November crude oil prices for Asian buyers to track gains in Middle East benchmarks, although rising supplies would limit those increases, refining sources said on Monday. Higher prices for Saudi crude may spur Asian refiners to snap up more U.S. grades.

In refining news, U.S. oil refiners are expected to have about 1.2 million barrels per day (bpd) of capacity offline in the week ending October 3, decreasing available refining capacity by 158,000 bpd, research company IIR Energy said on Monday.

Offline capacity is expected to increase to about 1.3 million bpd in the week ending October 10, IIR added.

• Light Louisiana Sweet for November delivery was unchanged at a midpoint of a $2.30 premium and was seen bid and offered between a $2.10 and $2.50 a barrel premium to U.S. crude futures CLc1 ​

• Mars Sour weakened 5 cents to a midpoint of a 30-cent discount and was seen bid and offered between a 45-cent and 15-cent a barrel discount to U.S. crude futures CLc1 ​

• WTI Midland was unchanged at a midpoint of a 95-cent premium and was seen bid and offered between a 75-cent and $1.15 a barrel premium to U.S. crude futures CLc1 ​

• West Texas Sour firmed 30 cents to a midpoint of a parity and was seen bid and offered between a discount of 30 cents​​ and 30-cent a barrel premium to U.S. crude futures CLc1 ​

• WTI at East Houston , also known as MEH, traded between a $1.10 and $1.50 a barrel premium to U.S. crude futures CLc1

• ICE Brent November futures LCOc1 fell $2.16 to settle at $67.97 a barrel on Monday​.

• WTI November crude CLc1 futures fell $2.27 to settle at $63.45 a barrel on Monday​.

• The Brent/WTI spread widened 3 cents to last trade at minus $4.44, after hitting a high of minus $4.41 and a low of minus $4.55.