The discount on Western Canada Select crude oil to North American benchmark West Texas Intermediate futures widened on Monday.
WCS for March delivery in Hardisty, Alberta, settled at $14.60 a barrel below the U.S. benchmark WTI, according to brokerage CalRock, compared with $14.25 a barrel on Friday.
* Monday was the start of the Canadian crude market’s trade cycle, which runs from the first of each month until the day before pipeline nominations are due, and in which the bulk of the trading activity takes place.
* The discount on Canadian heavy crude widened approximately $1 per barrel over the month of January in the wake of heightened market volatility caused by U.S. President Donald Trump’s stated goal to increase Venezuelan oil production.
* Investors are watching for the potential for an increase in Venezuelan barrels to compete with similar-in-quality Canadian heavy oil in the U.S. Gulf Coast over the longer term. But some analysts have suggested the market thus far may have overreacted, given it will take years for Venezuela to significantly ramp up its oil production beyond current levels.
* Oil prices fell more than $3 per barrel on Monday after U.S. President Donald Trump said Iran was “seriously talking” with Washington, signaling a de-escalation of tensions with the OPEC member, while a stronger dollar and milder weather forecasts also pressured prices.
(Reporting by Amanda Stephenson in Calgary; Editing by Krishna Chandra Eluri)