SINGAPORE, June 18 (Reuters) -Middle East crude benchmarks inched higher on Tuesday following a public holiday in Singapore on Monday, though trading momentum remained largely quiet.

Meanwhile, two deliveries for August-loading Oman crude emerged on Tuesday.

CHINA REFINERY OUTPUT

China's oil refinery output slipped 1.8% from year-ago levels in May, latest statistics bureau data showed, as refiners undertook planned maintenance overhauls and processing margins were pressured by rising crude costs.

Large state-run refineries such as Sinopec's Zhenhai and Zhanjiang, PetroChina's Dushanzi and Dalian plants, as well as big private refiner Hengli Petrochemical, were undertaking regular maintenance in May, according to Chinese commodities consultancy Oilchem.

SINGAPORE CASH DEALS

Cash Dubai's premium to swaps rose by 8 cents from the previous session to $1.10 a barrel.

Unipec will be delivering one August-loading Oman cargo to Total and Mitsui, respectively.

PRICES ($/BBL)

NEWS

- Saudi Arabia's crude oil exports fell in April, slipping from their highest in nine months hit in the previous month, data from the Joint Organizations Data Initiative showed.

- Denmark is considering ways to stop a so-called shadow fleet of tankers from carrying Russian oil through the Baltic Sea, the Nordic country said on Monday, triggering a sharp response from Moscow's diplomats who said any such move would be unacceptable.

- Venezuela's National Assembly on Monday began discussing a proposal to extend through 2047 a contract between state oil company PDVSA and U.S. company Chevron to operate a joint venture in the country's largest producing area.

- A unit of global commodities trader Trafigura has agreed to pay a $55 million civil fine to settle U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission charges of fraud, manipulation and impeding whistleblower communications.

- Shell has agreed to buy Singaporean liquefied natural gas company Pavilion Energy from global investment company Temasek in a move the oil major said will strengthen its leadership position in LNG, according to statements on Tuesday.

For crude prices, oil product cracks and refining margins, please click on the RICs below.

Reporting by Jeslyn Lerh; Editing by Shailesh Kuber

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