Sulphur and Sulphuric acid
Overview
The global sulphur market has gone through fundamental changes in buying patterns, trade routes and pricing over the past few years. Fixed price contracts and formula-based indexation have become the dominant ways in which supplies are bought and sold around the world, which makes accurate price assessments and detailed analysis key to any sulphur market participants.
The global sulphuric acid industry has seen structural change in recent years and new capacities will continue to challenge the balance in the years to come. While demand will be driven by fertilizers — predominantly the increased production of phosphate and ammonium sulphates — the market will continue to be exposed to short-term supply shocks, especially from the metals sector.
Rising demand for battery materials such as nickel and cobalt (due to growing electric vehicle production) will in turn bolster demand for sulphur and sulphuric acid, increase competition for supply and impact pricing.
Our extensive market coverage includes formed sulphur (both granular and prilled), crushed lump sulphur, molten/liquid sulphur and sulphuric acid. Argus has decades of experience covering these markets, and incorporate our multi-commodity market expertise in key areas including phosphates and metals to provide the full market narrative.
Argus support market participants with:
- Price assessments (daily and weekly for sulphur, weekly for sulphuric acid), proprietary data and market commentary assessments
- Short and medium to long-term forecasting, modelling and analysis of sulphur and sulphuric acid prices, supply, demand, trade and projects
- Bespoke consulting project support
Latest sulphur and sulphuric acid news
Browse the latest market moving news on the global sulphur and sulphuric acid industry.
Tampa molten sulphur price rises for 4Q
Tampa molten sulphur price rises for 4Q
Houston, 2 October (Argus) — Fertilizer producers Mosaic and Nutrien have settled the fourth quarter molten sulphur price with their suppliers at $116/long tonne (lt) delivered. The new settlement marks an increase of $40/lt from the third quarter price of $76/lt del, and follows the trend of firming sulphur markets during the third quarter amid resilient global fertilizer demand. Despite an active hurricane season in the US Gulf coast, disruptions to output have remained short-lived. But damage from Hurricane Helene last month has caused significant disruption to fertilizer production in the southeast US, with operations at two Florida-based phosphate fertilizer production facilities hampered. Mosaic's Riverview, Florida, facility is expected to return to normal capacity during the first half of October following water mitigation and site cleanup. Damage at Nutrien's White Springs, Florida, plant is still being assessed, with no clear timeline of when it will resume normal operations. Global solid sulphur contracts are beginning to settle for supply delivered during the fourth quarter at corresponding rises, with Middle East contracts rising by $39-43/t from the previous quarter to reach $110-122/t fob for Middle East for tonnes delivered to end users and traders. Additionally, delivered quantities for the north African market have been discussed in a range of mid-$130s to high $140s/t cfr depending on destination and cargo size for granular product from the FSU and the Middle East, though final confirmations remain outstanding. Crushed lump sulphur is expected to be priced below granular sulphur at the low end of the range. Some contract supply routes have not as yet been confirmed as having been finalized. By Chris Mullins and Maria Mosquera Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Qatar's Muntajat cuts Oct sulphur price by $1/t
Qatar's Muntajat cuts Oct sulphur price by $1/t
London, 30 September (Argus) — Qatar's state-owned sulphur producer and marketer Muntajat/Qatar Energy has lowered the Qatar Sulphur Price (QSP) for October slightly to $124/t fob Ras Laffan/Mesaieed. The price is down by $1/t from its September QSP set at $125/t fob. The latest adjustment for October implies delivered pricing to China of $147-154/t cfr at current freight rates, which were last assessed on 26 September at $23-24/t to south China and at $28-30/t to Chinese river ports for a shipment of 30,000-35,000t. But with China cfr assessments at $137-145/t cfr on 26 September, and the Golden Week holidays over 1-7 October, prices in early October are expected to lag against implied delivered values. By Maria Mosquera Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Vancouver sulphur exports rise 20pc in Aug
Vancouver sulphur exports rise 20pc in Aug
London, 23 September (Argus) — Sulphur exports from Canada's Vancouver port reached 320,000t in August, rising by 20pc from July. Exports in August went to China at 180,000t, Australia at 69,000t, the US at 50,000t and New Zealand at 21,000t. Last month's bumper exports pushed the total for the first eight months of this year 15pc above the same period last year at 2.27mn t, on disruptions to loading schedules in July last year because of a 13-day strike . An anticipated port strike this year has so far been averted. But the risk remains, as there has been no update regarding the progress of negotiations between the International Warehouse and Longshore Union Canada and the British Columbian Maritime Employers Association. Both parties are awaiting a ruling by the Canadian Industrial Relations Board, following a hearing that ran from 11-17 September. Neither party has issued a 72-hour strike or lockout notice . September's rail strikes were also short-lived this year, and the disruption minimal . Wildfires pose a further risk, after they caused outages last year to delivery schedules from production sites to Vancouver port. While the impact has been limited this year, with some oil sands operations reducing staffing, there is still some time before the risk of them abates . There is also more de-blocking taking place, with product melted from long-term storage at Alberta's substantial sulphur blocks to reduce block size and move stored product to export markets. This is expected to accelerate, and maintain higher exports despite reducing production from some oils sands plants and upgraders, as new forming capacity lifts remelting and reforming. The new South Cheecham priller is finally operational after long-standing operational issues from January to May . By Maria Mosquera Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Chilean 2025 sulphuric acid contract talks kick off
Chilean 2025 sulphuric acid contract talks kick off
Washington, 16 September (Argus) — Contract negotiations for sulphuric acid supply to Chile during 2025 got under way at a major industry conference this week, with more than 2mn t to be priced. The spot price for fourth-quarter deliveries to Chile — usually a guide in talks — has averaged $163/t cfr on a midpoint basis during the third quarter, well above the $127.50/t cfr average for the current annual contract. Tight availability from most key suppliers — especially South Korea, Japan and northwest Europe — has kept spot delivered prices above the annual benchmark for several months. Suppliers will probably argue that Asian import parity will be the key factor for 2025 prices, with fewer northwest European cargoes arriving in Chile this year as a result of maintenance and Morocco's OCP absorbing spot volumes. Argus forecasts that OCP will import about 2mn t of acid in 2024, reflecting firm demand for finished phosphate products while a new sulphur burner capacity comes on line. OCP will continue importing acid as the burner ramps up. Buyers, on the other hand, will probably argue that availability will rise in Asia, and that this will lead to a shift in market dynamics in 2025. Chinese capacity is expected to increase as smelters come on stream, but tight global supply of copper concentrates could lead to an increase in idled capacity and limit acid availability for exports. Another key factor is Indonesia, where large smelters and sulphur burners associated with the electric vehicle industry are ramping up, removing some demand next year. Indonesia's sulphuric acid imports dropped by 14pc in January-July to 642,000t, after several buyers launched burners and switched to buying sulphur instead. Sulphur imports surged by 41pc in the first seven months of the year to 1.91mn t, following the expansion of burning operations at Obi Island and Sulawesi. These factors will probably foster buyer caution. But with smelting utilisation rates in Chile estimated at 65pc in 2023, below the global average of 78.2pc, according to Chilean copper commission Cochilco, the country will continue to rely on imports. By Lili Minton Chile cfr spot vs contract Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
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