US Cash Crude-SGC firms as output at two Gulf of Mexico offshore platforms temporarily shut in

HOUSTON, Dec 10 (Reuters) - Southern Green Canyon (SGC) weakened on Wednesday as production at two Gulf of Mexico offshore platforms resumed after a temporary shut-in.

SGC weakened by 40 cents to a discount of $2.85 to US West Texas Intermediate crude. The grade had firmed to $2.45 after Shell SHEL.L said output at its Whale and Perdido offshore platforms was shut down last night due to a shutdown of the Hoover Offshore Oil Pipeline System (HOOPS).

Meanwhile, WTI Midland eased 5 cents, while WTI at East Houston, also known as MEH, and Mars Sour were unchanged.

The spread between WTI and Brent widened to minus $3.90, but stayed narrower than the minus $4 level that encourages exports.

U.S. crude inventories fell, while gasoline and distillates stockpiles rose last week amid strong refining activity, the Energy Information Administration said on Wednesday.

Crude inventories fell by 1.8 million barrels to 425.7 million barrels in the week ended December 5, the EIA said in its weekly Petroleum Status Report, compared with analysts' expectations in a Reuters poll for a 2.3 million-barrel draw.

• Light Louisiana Sweet for January delivery eased 35 cents to a midpoint of a 95-cent premium and was seen bid and offered between a 80-cent and $1.10 a barrel premium to U.S. crude futures CLc1

• Mars Sour was unchanged at a midpoint of a $1 discount and was seen bid and offered between a $1.20 and 80-cent a barrel discount to U.S. crude futures CLc1

• WTI Midland eased 5 cents at a midpoint of a 40-cent premium and was seen bid and offered between a 20-cent and 60-cent a barrel premium to U.S. crude futures CLc1

• West Texas Sour firmed 5 cents to a midpoint of a $2.40 discount and was seen bid and offered between a $2.50 and $2.30 a barrel discount to U.S. crude futures CLc1 ​

• WTI at East Houston , also known as MEH, traded between a 50-cent and 80-cent a barrel premium to U.S. crude futures CLc1

• ICE Brent February futures LCOc1 rose 27 cents to settle at $62.21 a barrel on Wednesday​.

• WTI January crude CLc1 futures rose 21 cents to settle at $58.46 a barrel on Wednesday​.

• The Brent/WTI spread widened 4 cents to last trade at minus $3.90, after hitting a high of minus $3.82 and a low of minus $3.93.