INTERNATIONAL LPG PRICES MIXED
International LPG prices were mixed in
the past week, with North Sea prices easier while prices in the
Mediterranean and the Gulf were up in April, traders said.
    In the North Sea market, small cargoes of propane were sold
as high as 126 dlrs per tonne on the f.o.b. basis early in the
week, but prices eased after the majors posted their April
contract prices, traders said.
    British Petroleum plc <BP> left propane unchanged at 110
dlrs and raised butane prices 5.50 dlrs to 123 dlrs, Shell, a
unit of Royal Dutch/Shell Group <RD> <ST> raised propane three
dlrs to 113 and butane 5.50 dlrs to 123 dlrs, they said.
    In the Mediterranean, prices firm in Lavera as Algerian
supplies were not always available. Spot propane was unchanged,
while butane rose about 25 dlrs from last week, traders said.
    They said, however, the Mediterranean butane market was
very thin, making it subject to wide price swings.
    In the Gulf, strong demand from the Far East pushed premium
on small cargoes five to 10 dlrs above government selling price
(gsp) for propane and 10 dlrs for butane, traders said. 
    The rising premium over gsp, however, was partially offset
by about 10 pct decline in shipping, making prices for propane
about unchanged and butane five dlrs higher, basis c. and f.
Japan, the traders said.
SPOT.(DLRS/TONNE)......PROPANE..............BUTANE...........
NORTH SEA (FOB)........113/117..............125/130..........
NORTH SEA (CIF)........120/125..............135/140..........
MEDITERRANEAN.(CIF)....140/145..............175/180..........
THE GULF (FOB).........130/135..............140/145..........
JAPAN (C AND F)........155/160..............160/165..........
OFFICIAL PRICES-FOB..........................................
SAUDI ARABIA (3/1)........125.................125............
ALGERIA......(3/1)........120.................130............
BP/POSTED PRICE.(4/1).....110.................123.00.........
SHELL/POSTED PRICE.(4/1)..113.................123.00.........
 Reuter
