Argus European Bitumen and Asphalt Conference

The Middle East remains a growing source of supply, with increasing cargoes from Oman, Bahrain, Iraq and Iran, despite US sanctions on Iran creating limitation on bitumen and asphalt exports. Shifting bitumen trade flows are presenting new arbitrage opportunities, with many questioning what this means for the shipping industry and whether or not it can cope with the extra capacity.

This session will offer insights into:

• Industry in the Middle East and Asia — developments over the last year
• Crude pricing and how this is impacting the bitumen price
• Is China’s market growing or shrinking as a result of the trade war with the US?
• Asia-Pacific supply and demand and future prospects
• Arbitrage opportunity — top-five prospective regions in Asia-Pacific
• How global currency exchange fluctuation are affected by the economy and the impact on the global bitumen industry

The US is still a large market for the asphalt industry, but with growing questions around geopolitics and limited bitumen supply in Europe and global crude oil, many are questioning what the future of South and North American supply looks like and what implications will this have on trade flows.

This session will offer:

• An update on US sanctions and how they are impacting global trade flows
• Analysis of bitumen supply expectations
• Future prospects in this region
• Analysis of how much bitumen will move into the US
• Overview of cargo flows and local production

• Assessing growing opportunities for exports from the Baltic states
• Challenges of inland refineries — will they ever have the logistics network to meet supply outside or their region?
• The impact of the global economy on competitive supply

• What role does digitalisation and innovation play?
• Fleet analysis: Amidst market volatility will there ever be harmony between age and technology of ships?
• Can the shipping industry rise to the challenge of growing trade flows?

Panellists:

Keyvan Hedvat, European and African Bitumen Editor, Argus

• An overview of cargo tracking data and analytics
• Key shipping trends in global bitumen flows
• Bitumen tracking post-IMO 2020: the re-shaping of trade flows

• Assessing the scope of bitumen alternatives in the application of flexible pavements
• Volume availability of lignin: Is this a viable option as an alternative to bitumen?
• Lignin’s contribution to carbon and emission reductions

• Using additives to enhance performance without changing supply
• How can asphalt become more independent from the bitumen grade
• Combining chemical capabilities and different industries to tackle HES

• What are the most relevant tests to predict asphalt properties?
• Micro surfacing and hot mix asphalt
• Evolution of asphalt: The impact and quality of products

• Cost effective Pmb in the construction and maintenance of roads and airports
• Assessing the impact on emissions for consumers and other health and safety risks
• Cost effective and long life pavements: Labelling road surfaces – a dutch initiative
  

• Reduction of public funds and the pressure of environmental impacts,
• Arrival and start of new competitors
• New needs and new contracting modes

• Assessing changes in the mobility landscape and what tools can be used from a technology and digitalisation stand point
• Installed infrastructure — are networks in place to meet changing demand for roads and pavements?
• Analysing versatile bitumen grades and quantities required to meet demand for new networks

• Lessons learned from January 2020
• How has IMO 2020 changed the supply landscape?
• Cargo trends and trade flow outlook

Panellists:

Alfonso Berrocal, Business Development Manager, Oil Products, Argus

• Overview of the current supply picture in Russia — when will Russia be a realistic option for bitumen supply?
• Is Russia really moving towards a surplus, and what impact will this have on markets outside eastern Europe and the Baltics?
• How are logistics and transportation options impacting exports?

• Assessing the road map of public procurement: Where are we now and how is it changing?
• Beyond calculating the product: Documenting and calculating the carbon footprint of the journey of bitumen and asphalt, as well as the product itself
• Specified product declaration for road construction products

• Short and long-term strategies to address carbon reduction challenges
• Analysing the scale of the transition in climate change: What does that mean for transportation?
• What impact does changing mobility usage and modes have on the climate strategy?

• How bitumen can be used to increase durability
• Bitumen quality in relation to low emissions
• Quality and performance

• An overview on how sustainability is being addressed in the market?
• What strategies are being implemented to tackle challenges with raw material emissions
• The role of bitumen quality and availability: What are our options?
  
  

• Ensuring availability and volumes of a bitumen quality with limited raw material supply
• How can quality be managed in the long term?
• What alternatives are there to using additives to increase bitumen quality?

• Designing highly recycled mixtures and the use of rejuvenators
• Practical tips for increasing use of reclaimed asphalt in production
• Outlook on sustainable asphalt production and what this means for road development