SINGAPORE, July 17 (Reuters) - Exports of light sweet Sokoland Vityaz crude from offshore Sakhalin Island in Russia willfall by a third to 5.69 million barrels in September due toscheduled maintenance, sources familiar with the matter said onWednesday.
The reduction in supply coupled with robust demand in Asiahave caused spot premiums for one of the grades Sokol to hit a4-month high.
Sokol crude exports will fall to five 700,000-barrel cargoesin September, down from the usual seven, trade sources said. Theexport volume will return to normal in October, said a sourcewith knowledge of the fields' production.
At Sakhalin 2, Vityaz crude exports will fall to three730,000-barrel cargoes in September, one source said, whilethere could be up to four cargoes in October, down from theusual five cargoes every month.
The quality of Vityaz will also become lighter during themaintenance, sources said. Its API gravity will rise to 46-47degrees, up from the usual 43-44 degrees, they said.
Sakhalin Energy, operator of Sakhalin 2, did not respond torequests for comment.
Sakhalin 2 includes the Piltun-Astokhskoye oil field and theLunskoye gas field in the Sea of Okhotsk offshore SakhalinIsland in the Russian Far East.
Gazprom is the majority shareholder of SakhalinEnergy, followed by Royal Dutch Shell, Mitsui & Co and Mitsubishi Corp.
Sakhalin 1, operated by ExxonMobil Corp, is made upof the Chayvo, Odoptu, and Arkutun Dagi fields, located off thenortheastern coast of Sakhalin Island.
