US Cash Products-Muted reaction as futures surge on Ida

NEW YORK, Nov 9 (Reuters) - Oil product price differentials were mixed Monday as the cash markets took a backseat to surging benchmark futures on fears of energy supply disruptions from Tropical Storm Ida, traders said.

Energy companies shut oil and natural gas operations in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico as Ida spun through the region, but no oil refineries along the Gulf Coast were heard shut, including Chevron's Pascagoula, Mississippi refinery, which traders said was the only plant possibly in the storm's crosshairs.

"There has been no hurricane threat at all this season and now we finally see the first major threat in early November when U.S. petroleum demand is weak while supplies are healthy," one brokerage said in a report.

Regular gasoline and ultra-low sulfur diesel inched up in the Gulf Coast and the New York Harbor, but moves were small.

The only exception was the small Chicago hub, where regular gasoline added to Friday's weakness, dropping sharply to reflect weak market fundamentals with refiners said to be net sellers.

NY Harbor heating oil differentials were little changed, with little boost to demand seen from the weather. In the U.S. Northeast, temperatures are seen averaging above normal Tuesday, near normal Wednesday through Friday, near to above normal Saturday, according to DTN Meteorlogix. [ID:nDTN036]

ConocoPhillips said Monday it completed planned work at its 247,000 barrel per day refinery in Sweeny, Texas. Several key units, including a gasoline-making catalytic cracker, were down for work which began in the third quarter. [ID:nN09262161]

BP said it was restarting the ultracracker at its 475,000 bpd refinery in Texas City, Texas, according to a filing made Saturday with state environmental regulators. [ID:nN09256150]

U.S. crude oil futures rose more than $2 on Monday, and gasoline and heating oil futures also surged, on the weak dollar and the impact of Ida on Gulf Coast oil and natural gas production and operations. [O/N]