CALGARY, Alberta, Feb 24 (Reuters) - Canadian cash crudeprices were steady in thin liquidity on Monday, with littletrading taking place outside the nearly three-week-long windowthat closed last week.
There were no trades in Western Canada Select heavy blendfor March delivery, according to Shorcan Energy brokers,although bids were reported around $24.25 per barrel below theWest Texas Intermediate benchmark.
WCS for March delivery settled at $22.50 per barrel belowthe benchmark on Friday.
The bulk of trading in the Canadian crude market takes placebetween the first of the month and the day before pipelinenominations are due.
WCS prices have recovered after touching six-week lowsaround $25 per barrel below WTI in mid-February. Traders saidprices have been supported by increasing crude-by-rail loadingcapacity in Western Canada and the ramp-up of heavy crudeprocessing at BP Plc's 405,000-barrel-per-day Whiting,Indiana, refinery.
However, some analysts have warned the North Americanrefinery maintenance season, which kicks off at the end ofFebruary, could dent crude demand and weigh on prices.
There were no trades in light synthetic crude from the oilsands for March delivery, although a contract for Februarydelivery changed hands at 85 cents per barrel above WTI.
Synthetic crude for March delivery settled at $1.25 perbarrel below the benchmark on Friday.