By Nia Williams
CALGARY, Alberta, April 2 (Reuters) - Canadian syntheticcrude prices rose to an 11-month high on Thursday, pushed higherby maintenance on oil sands upgraders in northern Alberta thathas cut into supply.
Light synthetic crude from the oil sands for May deliverylast traded at $3.30 per barrel above the benchmark, accordingto Shorcan Energy brokers.
That compares with a settlement on Wednesday of $2.75 perbarrel above WTI.
Royal Dutch Shell, the Syncrude Canada project andSuncor Energy Inc all have maintenance taking place onupgraders in the second quarter.
Upgraders convert mined bitumen from the oil sands intorefinery-ready synthetic crude.
Market players were also looking ahead to the start-up ofEnbridge Inc's 300,000 barrel per day Flanagan Southpipeline, expected in the second quarter.
The newly reversed Line 9 will carry 300,000 barrels per dayof mainly sweet and synthetic crude from Sarnia, Ontario, toMontréal, further lifting demand for synthetic crude.
Western Canada Select heavy blend crude for May delivery waslittle changed from the previous day at $12.30 per barrel belowthe benchmark, with the differential narrowing 10 cents. (Editing by Steve Orlofsky)