With a drop in green petroleum coke prices in late 2019, US suppliers have since been forced to look for new and different buyers in the face of weak demand from traditional destination countries.
While some countries took US coke for the first or second time, ever, last year, sporadic importers have at the same time begun to increase their share of US output. The Argus team has been tracking these shifting demand trends and the impact of unforeseen market drivers, such as the coronavirus outbreak, in our latest blog series.
US petroleum coke seeks new destinations
Falling green petroleum coke prices enticed new buyers into the market in 2019, as weak demand from some traditional buyers forced US suppliers to seek different destinations.
US increases coke exports to Africa
US green petroleum coke exports to Africa increased by 11pc in November, led by Egypt, as lower prices enticed buyers into the market.
US exports to Africa totaled 206,100t in November, up from 185,000t a year earlier, according to the latest US Census Bureau data.
Trade war lifts US coke exports to Japan
The US-China trade war is forcing US west coast sellers to seek alternative markets, pushing more green petroleum coke to Japan.
Philippine cement plants plan switch to coke
A cement producer in the Philippines is planning to switch from Indonesian coal to petroleum coke this year. The company has been working on fuel flexibility at two plants for the past year and is currently conducting trials with US west coast cokes.
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