Petroleum coke
Overview
Used in the manufacturing of metals, for power generation and in the production of numerous other products including glass, paint and fertilizers, petcoke is widely used. As the energy transition drives markets around the world to search for ways to reduce carbon emissions, the outlook for Petroleum coke remains uncertain.
Gain transparency into the evolving international petcoke markets with weekly and monthly prices, expert analysis and global market-moving news for fuel-grade and anode-grade petroleum coke.
Latest petroleum coke news
Browse the latest market moving news on the global petcoke industry.
Turkey’s July cement exports hit multi-year high
Turkey’s July cement exports hit multi-year high
London, 4 September (Argus) — Turkey's cement exports climbed to a fresh multi-year high in July, supported by robust demand from the US and Syria, as well as stronger sales into European markets. Turkey exported 1.79mn t of cement in July, up by 2pc from a year earlier and 1pc from June, according to Global Trade Tracker (GTT). The July total was the highest since August 2022. January-July exports rose to 10.73mn t from 10.21mn t in the same period last year. The US remained Turkey's largest cement export market by far, accounting for around a third of total Turkish cement exports during the month. This was despite shipments falling by 19pc year on year and 24pc on the month to 593,000t. Exports to the US continued to lag year-earlier levels largely because of weaker construction activity and competition from lower-cost suppliers from North Africa and Asia. Syria remained the second-largest destination, despite easing from the record high of 305,000t in May. Turkish cement exports to Syria rose by 79pc year on year and 13pc from June to 246,000t in July. January-July shipments totalled 1.46mn t, more than double the same period in 2025, reflecting ongoing reconstruction activity and growing cross-border trade flows. Demand from Europe also remained firm despite concerns over the EU's carbon border adjustment mechanism and anxiety about whether companies will be able to get their emissions verified in time to avoid using default emission values, which would be exceptionally expensive for Turkish cement. Exports to Italy increased to 116,000t, up by 11pc year on year, while dispatches to Bulgaria and Romania rose by 19pc and 46pc to 67,900t and 66,100t, respectively. Clinker exports drop Clinker exports eased in July from high June levels but remained above a year earlier. Turkey exported 709,000t of clinker in July, up by 5pc from a year earlier but down by 18pc on the month, according to GTT data. January-July clinker exports totalled 3.97mn t, down from 4.74mn t in the same period last year. Syria was again one of the fastest-growing clinker destinations. Exports to the country increased to 114,000t, tripling on the year and marking a 38pc increase from June. Exports to the US, typically a larger buyer of cement than clinker, rose by 67pc year on year to 65,000t. Exports to Italy, one of the largest EU buyers of clinker, fell by 30pc year on year to 77,700t. There were no shipments to Spain, another traditional buyer of Turkish clinker that had taken 55,000t in July 2025. Dispatches to Ivory Coast also fell to zero in July after the country was the largest destination over April-June. But exports to Guinea, an occasional buyer last year, reached 41,300t in July. By Alexander Makhlay Turkey clinker exports ’000t Turkey cement exports ’000t Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
US Gulf coke qualities shift on changing crudes
US Gulf coke qualities shift on changing crudes
Washington, 2 September (Argus) — Petroleum coke quality has been shifting in the US Gulf coast market over the last few months as refineries receive a higher volume of Venezuelan and Canadian crude while certain Mideast Gulf, Latin American and West African crudes have become less available. A few refineries initially began making 4.5pc sulphur coke earlier this summer, likely because of the surge in imports of Venezuelan crude, which yields this grade when run on its own. But some of these refineries' coke sulphur content has crept up in recent weeks. Valero's 215,000 b/d St Charles refinery in Louisiana and Chevron's 365,500 b/d Pascagoula refinery in Mississippi had been producing less than 5pc sulphur coke for the past few months, but are now back above 5pc sulphur or approaching 6pc, market participants said. Some refineries that had been in the 5-6pc range are now above 6pc. It is not entirely clear what is driving the recent increase in sulphur content. US imports of Venezuelan crude have been steadily climbing since January, with US imports hitting 743,000 b/d in the first week of August, the highest weekly volume since August 2017, according to data from the US Energy Information Administration. But imports of Canadian crude — which tends to make higher sulphur coke — were up by 4pc and 6pc, respectively, in July and the first three weeks of August compared with June levels. Reductions in crude from the Mideast Gulf, South America, West Africa and possibly some domestic light sweet crudes may also have contributed to the rise in sulphur. Vanadium levels increase Chinese market participants have also noticed an increase in vanadium content at some US Gulf coke, which they attribute to the increase in Venezuelan crude. "The US is using Venezuelan oil now and all US-origin coke's vanadium content is increasing," one Chinese trader said. A US-based trader agreed, saying vanadium levels were "... going up everywhere." The Chinese trader said that coke from Motiva's 640,500 b/d Port Arthur, Texas, refinery's DCU 1, which typically produces coke that can be used in anode blends, has recently tested at more than 1,000ppm vanadium. TotalEnergies' 238,000 b/d Port Arthur refinery's coke has recently had about 1,500ppm vanadium, up from 1,300ppm for a cargo that arrived in China in June, another trader said. Valero St Charles' vanadium is now also above 1,000ppm. Some midcontinent anode-grade coke-producing refineries have also seen increases in vanadium over the past year, which is more likely because of higher Canadian crude runs, one market source said. US Gulf Venezuelan runs to continue rising The US plans to continue to increase the use of Venezuelan crude in its refineries in the coming years. Chevron has agreed to spend more than $7bn over the next five years to double its production from Venezuela . And US president Donald Trump announced on 28 August that the US will take "majority control" of 65bn bl of Venezuela's oil reserves in partnership with unnamed private companies. Venezuelan acting-president Delcy Rodriguez on 29 August confirmed a plan to give the US a stake in about 20pc of Venezuela's oil reserves to help boost output by 1.5mn b/d. But US opposition party leaders say they plan to scrutinize the deal if they take power next year. By Lauren Masterson US Venezuelan crude imports, 4-Week Avg ’000 b/d US crude imports by origin mn b/d Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
GrafTech to shutter Monterrey electrode plant
GrafTech to shutter Monterrey electrode plant
Pittsburgh, 1 September (Argus) — GrafTech will permanently close its graphite electrode production facility in Monterrey, Mexico, to align capacity with market demand amid continued global overcapacity The Brooklyn Heights, Ohio-based company will wind down operations at the Monterrey site in phases, with production to end early in the second quarter of 2027, GrafTech said. The closure aims to improve manufacturing utilization, cut costs and concentrate output at GrafTech's larger and more efficient facilities. Annual graphite electrode capacity will fall by 51,000 metric tonnes (t) to 127,000t following the shutdown. The decrease includes 35,000t from Monterrey and a 16,000t reduction at the firm's Pamplona, Spain, facility because of changes in its production mix to provide full pin stock requirements. GrafTech will transfer pin stock production — currently centered in Monterrey — to its Pamplona facility. Remaining graphite electrode output will come from its Calais, France facility. The company expects annual cost savings of $20mn-25mn, excluding one-off closure costs of $20mn-25mn for equipment relocation, facility closure and employee-related items. The graphite electrode sector has experienced persistent overcapacity from China and India, outstripping demand growth and weighing on prices and profitability for several years. Greater supply discipline is required for a healthier industry and more balanced market conditions, GrafTech said. Graphite electrodes are essential for electric arc furnace steelmakers because they conduct the electricity needed to melt scrap, other metallic feedstocks and non-ferrous metals. GrafTech will maintain its North American footprint through vertically integrated petroleum needle coke operations in Seadrift, Texas, and its electrode machining and distribution site in Saint Marys, Pennsylvania. The Saint Marys facility will continue to support GrafTech's carbon and graphite offerings for energy storage and battery markets, even though graphite electrode production there was idled in 2024 and will remain idle after the transition. By Brad MacAulay Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
UK sets out schemes eligible for CBAM price relief
UK sets out schemes eligible for CBAM price relief
London, 27 August (Argus) — The UK government today published a non-exhaustive list of schemes that will qualify as a carbon price already paid in the country of origin for goods imported under its upcoming carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM). The list currently includes the emissions trading systems (ETSs) of the EU, China, Japan, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Montenegro, New Zealand and Switzerland, as well as carbon taxes in Chile, Serbia, Singapore and South Africa, the Australian safeguard mechanism, Canada's federal output-based pricing system, India's carbon credit trading scheme, and Taiwan's carbon fee. The government will publish an update "in due course" as further schemes are assessed, it said, as it is "aware" that some regional schemes may already meet the criteria it set out last month , while other schemes in development could qualify in the future. To claim relief on their UK CBAM obligations, importers must first calculate the effective carbon price already paid by taking the total installation emissions and identifying how many were subject to the different elements of the qualifying pricing scheme — the headline price payable, any additional price beyond this, free allowances received, payments for greenhouse gas removals, and the thresholds above or below which emissions are charged. The emissions subject to each element are then multiplied by the price per tonne of CO2 equivalent for each element in the previous calendar quarter — using a mean average if the price is not fixed — and added together. The total figure is then divided by the original total installation emissions. Carbon price relief is then calculated by multiplying the effective carbon price by the embodied emissions covered by the scheme for the relevant goods. This amount is converted into pounds sterling and subtracted from the CBAM liability. UK CBAM will start on 1 January 2027, applying an effective carbon price to specified goods imported into the UK in the aluminium, cement, fertiliser, hydrogen, iron and steel sectors. By Kiara Campagne Nieva Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
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