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US crude fell modestly on Friday while global Brent gained support from market uncertainty over the future of Saudi oil production following King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz's death.
Reports of a partial shutdown at BP's oil refinery in Whiting, Indiana, added weight to a bearish US market which saw heavy losses a day ago, when the Energy Information Administration announced the largest build in crude inventory in at least 14 years.
Brent was up 30 cents at $48.82 by 11:20 am EST (1620 GMT), while US crude fell 21 cents to $46.10. The spread between the two benchmarks widened to as much as $3.27, the largest in 12 days.
