US Cash Crude-Mars gains as concerns over Middle East supplies worsen

NEW YORK, May 4 (Reuters) - Mars sour crude firmed on Monday, as concerns over disruption to Middle East supplies grew after Iran attacked vessels in the Strait of Hormuz and a UAE oil port.

Mars, the benchmark U.S. sour grade, rose $4 to settle at a midpoint of a $5 premium to West Texas Intermediate CLc1, while interest in sweet grades also remained high. WTI Midland firmed, while Midland at East Houston was unchanged.

Hundreds of tankers and other ships have been stuck inside the Gulf since the Iran war began on February 28, triggering the world's biggest-ever oil supply disruption.

South Korea reported one of its merchant ships suffered an explosion and fire inside the strait, while the Emirati oil company ADNOC said one of its empty oil tankers was hit by Iranian drones on Monday.

Global oil stocks are approaching their lowest level in eight years, Goldman Sachs said on Monday, warning that the speed of depletion was becoming a concern as supplies through the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20% of the world's oil supply flowed before the war, remained restricted.

• Light Louisiana Sweet for June delivery was unchanged at a midpoint of a $1.50 premium and was seen bid and offered between a $1.25 and $1.75 a barrel premium to U.S. crude futures CLc1 ​

• Mars Sour gained $4 to a midpoint of a $5 premium and was seen bid and offered between a $4.80 and $5.2 a barrel premium to U.S. crude futures CLc1 ​

• WTI Midland firmed 5 cents to a midpoint of a $3.15 premium and was seen bid and offered between a $3.05 and $3.25 a barrel premium to U.S. crude futures CLc1 ​

• West Texas Sour firmed 23-cents to a midpoint of a 73-cent discount and was seen bid and offered between a discount of $1.85​​ and 40-cent a barrel premium to U.S. crude futures CLc1

• WTI at East Houston, also known as MEH, traded between a $4.10 and $4.50 a barrel premium to U.S. crude futures CLc1 ​

• ICE Brent July futures LCOc1 settled at $114.44 a barrel on Monday, up $6.27​.

• WTI June crude CLc1 futures settled at $106.42 a barrel, up $4.48​.

• The Brent/WTI spread widened $1.63 to last trade at minus $13.26, after hitting a high of minus $11.00 and a low of minus $13.97