US Cash Crude-Grades rise as widening Iran war tightens global supplies

NEW YORK, March 6 (Reuters) - Grades rose on Friday, dealers said, as the war in Iran continued to widen across the Middle East and disrupted energy flows and supplies.

Kuwait has begun cutting production at some oil fields after running out of room to store its bottled-up crude, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday, citing people familiar with the matter.

Saudi Arabia and other Gulf producers - the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Iraq - have halted Strait of Hormuz shipments since Saturday after the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran and Tehran retaliated with drone and missile strikes.

U.S. oil refiners are expected to have about 1.24 million barrels per day of capacity offline in the week ending March 6, increasing available refining capacity by 61,000 bpd, research company IIR Energy said on Friday. Offline capacity is expected to fall to 1.2 million bpd in the week ending March 13, IIR said.

U.S. energy firms this week added oil and natural gas rigs for the first time in four weeks, energy services firm Baker Hughes BKR.O said in its closely followed report on Friday.

Baker Hughes said oil rigs rose by four to 411 this week, their highest since early February, while gas rigs fell by two to 132, their lowest since early February.

• Light Louisiana Sweet for April delivery rose by $3 to a midpoint of a $8.50 premium and was seen bid and offered between a $5.00 and $12.00 a barrel premium to U.S. crude futures CLc1 ​

• Mars Sour rose by $4 to a midpoint of a $11 premium and was seen bid and offered between a $10.90 and $11.10 a barrel premium to U.S. crude futures CLc1 ​

• WTI Midland rose by 25 cents to a midpoint of a $1.50 premium and was seen bid and offered between a $1.40 and $1.60 a barrel premium to U.S. crude futures CLc1 ​

• West Texas Sour rose by $1.55 at a midpoint of a $1.50 premium and was seen bid and offered between a $1.40 and $1.60 a barrel premium to U.S. crude futures CLc1 ​

• WTI at East Houston , also known as MEH, traded between a $2.30 and $2.50 a barrel premium to U.S. crude futures CLc1 ​

• ICE Brent May futures LCOc1 rose $7.28 to settle at $92.69.

• WTI April crude CLc1 futures rose $9.89 to settle at $90.90​.

• The Brent/WTI spread narrowed $1.69 to last trade at minus $5.08, after hitting a high of minus $4.93 and a low of minus $6.98.