US Cash Crude-Mars firms as Brent/WTI spread widens

Nov 11 (Reuters) - Mars Sour grade largely firmed on Tuesday, dealers said, as the discount between Brent and U.S. West Texas intermediate crude widened.

Mars Sour strengthened 20 cents to a discount of $1.50 a barrel.

The spread between Brent and WTI widened to as little as minus $4.16, below the minus $4 mark that encourages exports.

U.S. crude oil stockpiles were expected to have risen last week, while gasoline and distillate inventories likely fell, a preliminary Reuters poll showed on Tuesday.

Middle Eastern producers Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Kuwait will raise crude oil supplies to India in December as Indian refiners seek alternatives to Russian barrels, sources at four Indian refiners said on Tuesday.That may boost US exports to India.

• Light Louisiana Sweet for December delivery was unchanged at a midpoint of a 90-cent premium and was seen bid and offered between a 80-cent and $1.00 a barrel premium to U.S. crude futures CLc1 ​

• Mars Sour firmed 20 cents at a midpoint of a $1.5 discount and was seen bid and offered between a $1.75 and $1.25 a barrel discount to U.S. crude futures CLc1 ​

• WTI Midland eased 5 cents to a midpoint of a 35-cent premium and was seen bid and offered between a 10-cent and 60-cent a barrel premium to U.S. crude futures CLc1 ​

• West Texas Sour eased 5 cents to a midpoint of an 85-cent discount and was seen bid and offered between a $1.00 and 70-cent a barrel discount to U.S. crude futures CLc1 ​

• WTI at East Houston, also known as MEH, traded between a 40-cent and 90-cent a barrel premium to U.S. crude futures CLc1

• ICE Brent January futures LCOc1 rose $1.1 to settle at $65.16 a barrel on Tuesday​.

• WTI December crude CLc1 futures rose 91 cents to settle at $61.04 a barrel on Tuesday​.

• The Brent/WTI spread widened 13 cents to last trade at minus $4.16, after hitting a high of minus $4.02 and a low of minus $4.17.