ONGC offers second April Sokol cargo

SINGAPORE, Feb 12 (Reuters) Oil and Natural Gas Corp. (ONGC) has issued a second tender to sell Sokol crude for April loading from Russia's Sakhalin-1 oilfield, tender documents seen on Monday showed.

State-run ONGC , which has a 20 percent stake in the Exxon Mobil Corp. -led Sakhalin-1 field, is offering 700,000 barrels for April 15-18 loading from the De Kastri Terminal.

The tender closes on Feb. 21 and bids are to remain valid until Feb. 22, the document showed.

ONGC last week awarded a similar tender for an early April cargo at a .50-.00 a barrel premium to Oman/Dubai quotes on a delivered basis to European trader Vitol.

The premium for Sokol has weakened as high kerosene stocks in Japan have limited demand so far this month and put pressure on differentials for middle distillates-rich grades.

Output has been ramped up at the Sakhalin-1 field and is expected to reach its full 250,000 barrel per day (bpd) capacity this month.

REUTERS DKS HS0808