NIGERIA'S BRASS RIVER CRUDE EXPORTS DELAYED

Nigerian Brass River crude oil cargoes due to load at the end of April and in May were expected to be delayed by around a week after disruptions to supplies in Africa's largest exporter, trade sources told Reuters on Thursday.

Traders said owners of Brass River cargoes due to be shipped this week had been told the crude would not be loaded on schedule but full details had yet to emerge.

'We're hearing it will be a week delay but it could be more as new loading dates haven't been given and this could be just a provisional update,' one West African crude oil trader said.

'They may have to shift the whole programme forward and cargoes may be scrapped in May,' said another.

Cargoes due to be shipped on April 25 to 26 and April 29 to 30 were likely to be the first impacted by delays. These were due to be loaded by Unipec and Conoco respectively.