UPDATE 2-Nippon Oil Aug refining seen flat
Date:[7/28/2007]
TOKYO, July 27 (Reuters) - Japan's top oil refiner Nippon Oil Corp. (5001.T: Quote, NEWS , Research) will keep its August processing volumes steady versus a year ago to meet summer gasoline demand and is seeking more Nile Blend crude to meet higher utility use.
The company plans to refine 4.34 million kilolitres (881,000 barrels per day) of crude oil in August, steady to 4.32 million kl a year earlier, Masahito Nakamura, its senior vice president, told reporters on Friday.
Nakamura also said Nippon Oil had enquired for increased supplies of Sudan's Nile Blend to meet projections for higher demand of direct-burning crudes from power companies.
Price differentials for medium-heavy crude that can be used to generate electricity, such as Nile Blend, have rallied since Japan's biggest nuclear plant owned shut down following a July 16 earthquake. [ID:nSP202148]