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CANADA-CRUDE-Heavy oil discount narrows a little

The discount rate on Western Canada Select ( WCS) heavy unrefined versus the North American benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) narrowed partially on Friday:

* WCS for May shipment in Hardisty, Alberta, traded at $ 11.75 a barrel below WTI, according to brokerage CalRock, after closing at $11.90 a barrel listed below the standard on Thursday.

* Canadian heavy crude has traded at a discount rate of less than $ 12 a barrel to WTI because the start of this month's trade cycle on Wednesday, when the 590,000 barrel each day Trans Mountain pipeline growth (TMX) also began commercial operations.

* Oil sands producers, consisting of Canadian Natural Resources Ltd and Cenovus Energy this week stated TMX will benefit the whole market.

* Numerous analysts expect the pipeline will assist tighten up heavy unrefined differentials to less than $10 a barrel listed below WTI by removing export pipeline bottlenecks and forcing U.S. refiners to compete with worldwide purchasers for Canadian barrels.

* International oil costs settled lower and published their steepest weekly loss in three months as investors weighed weak U.S. jobs information and the possible timing of a Federal Reserve rate of interest cut.

(source: Reuters)