Enterprise restarts Mont Belvieu MTBE unit

Spanish Market: LPG
25/08/15

Enterprise Products Partners is restarting its BEF unit at Mont Belvieu, Texas, this week, according to a filing with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ).

The restart will last through 3 September and will result in flaring of butane, isobutane, propane and propylene. The unit produces MTBE for export.

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17/06/26

Workers to end strikes at Australia's Ichthys LNG

Sydney, 17 June (Argus) — Workers at the 9.3mn t/yr Ichthys LNG project based in Australia's Northern Territory have agreed on a new pay deal, ending weeks of strikes across three facilities that delayed some cargoes. More than 400 staff endorsed the enterprise bargaining agreement (EBA) on 17 June, the Offshore Alliance union said, calling the new EBA "the best in the oil and gas industry" with improved job security, pay and career progression. Unions have notified Ichthys operator, Japan's Inpex, that strikes will cease by 6pm Australian Western Standard Time (10am GMT) today. Workers voted to endorse protected industrial action in May and began minor strikes on 2 June , escalating to loading bans and eight-hour stoppages on 11 June. Australia's workplace court the Fair Work Commission on 14 June rejected an application by Inpex to halt the strikes due to economic impacts , despite finding that industrial action threatened to cause a full production stoppage at Ichthys. Unions responded by promising to extend the strikes past 23 June. By Tom Major Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

German LPG demand recovers in 2025 as prices fall

16/06/26

German LPG demand recovers in 2025 as prices fall

The heating sector drove the recovery in consumption with help from a post-pandemic motorhome boom, writes Waldemar Jaszczyk London, 16 June (Argus) — German LPG demand grew in 2025 for the first time in three years as lower prices encouraged consumers to abandon energy-saving measures introduced after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in early 2022. Domestic consumption — excluding petrochemical feedstock use — among members of LPG association DVFG rose by more than 9pc on the year to 1.3mn t in 2025, after a 3pc contraction the previous year, the association says. The heating sector drove the recovery, with use increasing by nearly 10pc to 868,000t. Lower LPG prices boosted demand after years of conservation prompted by the start of the Ukraine war, which pushed energy prices sharply higher across Europe. Northwest European LPG prices succumbed to supply pressure last year as the US-China trade war pushed record volumes of US LPG to Europe. The propane fca Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp (ARA) assessment for 45t cargoes fell by more than 30pc from 2022 to an average $602.50/t. Railcar premiums to the large cargo cif ARA benchmark almost halved to $117.50/t after the market accommodated additional eastern European demand created by the EU embargo on Russian LPG. Heating demand also benefited from the gradual dismantling of Germany's natural gas distribution network, with households often switching to LPG as an off-grid fuel, DVFG says. Industrial consumption rose by 19pc on the year to 165,000t following a recovery in economic activity after a prolonged slump. Germany's economy returned to growth last year after two years of recession, expanding by 0.2pc, according to the federal statistical office. The downturn had weighed heavily on industry, particularly chemicals, causing a 6pc contraction in LPG use during 2023-24. Cylinder LPG consumption rose by 5pc to 155,000t, driven by a post-pandemic motorhome market boom. Motorhome numbers more than doubled from 2020, exceeding 1mn units last year. The gains more than offset a 22pc fall in autogas use to 69,000t as LPG vehicles were hit by wider weakness in combustion engine sales. Germany's autogas fleet shrank by over 5pc to 284,500, as new vehicle registrations fell by 12pc to 12,000, according to the federal motor transport authority. The surge in international LPG benchmarks since the US-Iran war began could push the German market off its recovery path this year, even in the wake of the recent peace deal. ARA railcar prices hit a four-year high of $1,078/t fca in March after low stocks and rising costs for US imports pushed break-bulk terminals at the hub to raise spot offers. Inland buyers rapidly retreated in the face of higher offers, bringing the spot market to a standstill. Values eased on rising refinery supply and milder weather to $602/t by mid-June, but were still $70/t higher than a year ago. Bio beginnings DVFG disclosed domestic renewable liquid gas (RLG) sales for the first time at 4,500t in 2025 — around 0.04pc of the total. Uptake was limited by steep premiums to fossil-fuel LPG, the association says, although the gap has started to narrow. The biopropane fca ARA premium to large cargoes dropped to about $800/t in June from $921/t in 2025 and $1,040/t in 2024, as voluntary demand failed to keep up with rising availability from higher hydrotreated vegetable oil and sustainable aviation fuel output. Germany's newly proposed buildings modernisation act (GMG) could boost RLG demand. The draft, which aims to take effect on 1 July, rolls back key provisions of the 2023 building energy act in favour of a technology-neutral approach by shifting obligations from consumers to fuel distributors. But the policy shift could still be reversed locally because the draft allows federal states to impose stricter climate measures beyond GMG. Hamburg, for example, moved in May to seek stronger powers over heating laws to achieve carbon neutrality by 2040. German DVFG member sales '000t 2025 2024 ±% Heating 868.1 790.5 9.8 Cylinder 155.4 147.8 5.2 Bulk 712.8 642.8 10.9 Propellant 48.5 49.3 -1.5 Autogas 69.3 88.8 -22.0 Industry 164.7 138.3 19.1 Wholesale 162.3 135.1 20.0 Total 1,313.0 1,202.0 9.2 — DVFG Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

China LPG import demand splits as PDH runs grow

16/06/26

China LPG import demand splits as PDH runs grow

PDH operating rates have rebounded while ample domestic LPG supply from refineries has dampened import demand from China's other sectors Shanghai, 16 June (Argus) — China's LPG import demand continued to diverge in June, with propane dehydrogenation (PDH) plants buying more propane in response to stronger margins but demand from all other sectors remaining depressed. Higher propane-to-polypropylene (PP) production margins encouraged some Chinese PDH plants to restart this month, which has lifted propane import demand. Domestic PDH operating rates could rebound to 70pc by the end of the month having hit 63pc on 5 June, after falling to as low as 47pc in April as a result of the disruption caused by the US-Iran war. The recovery comes as declining PP unit run rates and dwindling inventories have lifted Chinese PP prices. PP unit utilisation fell to a low of 65pc in the week ending 6 June , down by 15 percentage points from before the start of the war and by 11 percentage points compared with a year earlier. Chinese PP raffia ex-works prices rose by 47pc from the start of the war to 9,775 yuan/t ($1,445.40/t) by 12 June, while the Argus Ningbo Index (ANI) for propane imports to east China increased by 13pc to $780.25/t. The improving profitability is expected to lift PDH run rates at facilities with associated import terminals to around 71pc in July, and to 64pc for those buying trucked propane at higher costs, Argus data show. Chinese buyers continued to procure propane for their feedstock needs rather than for storage, market participants say. But it is still unclear whether new PDH plants that had been scheduled to start up this year will do so. State-controlled Sinopec Zhenhai's 600,000 t/yr PDH project in Zhejiang was expected to start up in the middle of this year, but it has yet to do so and it is unclear if it will happen soon. The rise in demand from PDH plants comes as ample domestic LPG supply from refineries caps import demand from China's other sectors during a summer lull. Refineries have produced and sold more LPG because of weak demand and margins for other transport fuels, traders say. The gasoline crack spread at Bohai bay in northeast China returned to a positive $3.46/bl on 15 June, having been negative since March, but was still down from $8.33/bl on 27 February, Argus data show. Domestic LPG prices have meanwhile risen significantly since the start of the war in the Middle East, further incentivising refiners to produce more LPG. Prices at Sinopec Guangzhou's refinery in south China rose by 41pc to Yn6,660/t by 15 June, while the Pearl River Delta Index, covering prices at import terminals in the region that serves the wholesale market, rose by 41pc to Yn6,718/t. A seasonal decline in wholesale propane demand is also raising refinery supply availability, with this tending to be butane heavy. Glass half MTBE Negative production margins for gasoline component MTBE — which is largely produced from butane — as a result of higher butane prices and low road fuel demand has also weighed on China's butane imports. The MTBE ex-tank price in east China rose to $780.30/t by 5 June, up by 28pc since the start of the US-Iran war, while the butane ANI price rose by 43pc to $924.50/t. even after a series of shutdowns in May . Higher propane prices compared with naphtha also capped demand from China's flexible ethylene steam crackers. The naphtha Japan c+f price stood at $745.60/t on 9 June, a $71/t discount to the propane ANI price. Most ethane and LPG mixed-feed crackers continued to procure LPG , except for one 1.2mn t/yr cracker in north China that stopped buying LPG as it maximised internal use of naphtha and imports of ethane. China's ethane imports were estimated to reach 983,000t in June, just below the record level in April, data from analytics firm Kpler show. China PDH operating rates China propane ANI, PP prices Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Hormuz tanker traffic unchanged after US‑Iran deal

15/06/26

Hormuz tanker traffic unchanged after US‑Iran deal

London, 15 June (Argus) — Vessel traffic through the strait of Hormuz has not changed since Sunday's announcement of a US-Iran peace deal , based on AIS tracking data. This suggests shipowners are waiting for the planned signing on 19 June and further details before attempting transits. The Indian LNG tanker Disha passed through without incident near Iran's Larak island. But the transit was likely pre-arranged and not the result of the newly announced deal. Several smaller vessels also transited, in line with recent traffic levels. There were no significant movements of crude or product tankers overnight. US president Donald Trump said on 14 June that he has authorised the "toll-free" reopening of the strait. But Iranian officials have yet to confirm that vessels can transit without restrictions. Transits continue to use shipping lanes near Iran's Larak and Qeshm islands rather than the traditional central route, reflecting ongoing safety risks in the strait. "The threat of mines in the area remains a concern immediately as well as further down the line, and mine-free routes need to be established," said Jakob Larsen, chief safety and security officer at industry association Bimco. "We still consider it very risky to commence transits at this point," Larsen added. Floating mines pose a significant risk and are likely to result in restrictions from marine insurers on which routes are covered. UK prime minister Keir Starmer said the UK will continue to work with partners to support reopening of the strait, including through a defensive, independent multilateral mission led by the UK and France, particularly to support mine clearance operations. Uncertainty over access to the waterway remains. Trump has a history of overstating progress in reopening the strait of Hormuz, through which about a fifth of global oil flowed before the Iran war. He wrongly claimed in April the strait was "completely open", prompting a buildup of crude and product tankers before many were turned back. The deal is set to be signed on 19 June, which participants said could be a trigger for any broader rebound in vessel traffic. More than 500 ships remain in the Mideast Gulf, and Bimco estimates it could take several weeks for all to leave, particularly as most will need to use restricted routes until mine clearance operations are completed. By John Ollett Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Inpex applies to halt Australia's Ichthys LNG strike

10/06/26

Inpex applies to halt Australia's Ichthys LNG strike

Sydney, 10 June (Argus) — Japanese firm Inpex, operator of the 9.3mn t/yr Ichthys LNG project near Australia's northern city of Darwin, has applied to Australia's industrial arbiter the Fair Work Commission (FWC) to stop ongoing strikes at the project. The company has filed an application to the FWC seeking urgent orders to halt protected industrial action (PIA) at Ichthys sites, Inpex's senior vice-president Bill Townsend said on 10 June. Inpex is applying under section 424 of the Fair Work Act to suspend or terminate PIA, which cites the risks of "significant damage to the Australian economy or an important part of it" as a reason to end legally permissible strikes. The FWC has scheduled the hearing for 10am AWST (2am GMT) on 12 June. If Ichthys' production is taken off line by strikers, impacts to LNG buyers and domestic gas customers in the Northern Territory would occur, Inpex said. And this would be significant given current fuel supply constraints. Unions with members at Ichthys have notified Inpex of further PIA on 11-23 June and the firm is planning accordingly, Townsend said. Ichthys has loaded three cargoes since strikes commenced, Kpler data show, with the 174,000m³ Archy Vanguard presently berthed at the terminal. Ichthys impasse Items yet to be resolved under the bargaining talks include pay, allowances and career progression framework, Inpex said. Strikes began on 2 June at the project and have escalated to eight hours a day from an initial four hours, while bans on loading and unloading cargoes at the facility will start on 11 June, the Offshore Alliance union said on 8 June. Up to four cargoes could be lost as a result and replacements will be needed, traders told Argus this week. The escalated strike action in Australia would likely further tighten supply available to Asian importers and limit the supply buffer for the summer. Spot prices may face further upside as a result, especially as Qatari LNG supply remains off line. By Tom Major Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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Enterprise restarts Mont Belvieu MTBE unit

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