Iraq’s BGC boosts LPG exports as BNGL start-up nears

Spanish Market: LPG
14/05/24

The BNGL plant will help Iraq reduce its gas flaring and increase power generation capacity when it fully comes on line, writes Ieva Paldaviciute

Iraqi upstream joint venture Basrah Gas' (BGC) growing production and exports of LPG are helping to raise the country's overseas LPG shipments this year despite delays to the start-up of its Basrah Natural Gas Liquids (BNGL) plant.

The BNGL project, launched in 2019, incorporates two 200mn ft³/d (2.1bn m³/yr) gas processing trains, the first of which was inaugurated in May last year. Each train will produce 700-900 t/d of LPG — BGC's LPG output has risen by about 400-500 t/d to 6,000 t/d this year. Yet the first train has yet to reach full processing capacity despite being scheduled to do so in late 2023. The company now expects both trains to be fully operational by the end of this year.

BGC, a joint venture between Shell, state-owned South Gas and Japan's Mitsubishi, has 1bn ft³/d of gas processing capacity split between two of its NGL plants in Khor al-Zubair and North Rumaila. The 400mn ft³/d BNGL plant will increase capacity by 40pc and includes "best-in-class" cryogenic NGL trains, the firm says. These facilities process associated gas from oil production at the Rumaila, West Qurna 1 and Zubair fields. BNGL is also intended to help Iraq reduce its gas flaring and increase power generation capacity by around 1.5GW.

BGC's LPG exports have nevertheless been climbing as it works to bring the BNGL plant on line. The company primarily supplies LPG to Iraq's domestic market, mostly for residential cooking, and exports the surplus. But smaller local suppliers are now cutting into BGC's domestic market share, freeing up more of its LPG for export. This includes Iraq's new 140,000 b/d Karbala refinery, which started operations earlier this year and is now selling around 700 t/d of LPG domestically.

BGC typically exports split propane-butane cargoes through tenders to south Asian importers such as India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, as well as to east African countries such as Tanzania and Mauritius. These are shipped from the company's Umm Qasir terminal on the Mideast Gulf — which can store around 222,000t of LPG, Argus data show — historically on board small pressurised ships but as of this year on Handysize vessels as well, according to analytics firm Kpler. BGC shipped its first semi-refrigerated 100pc propane cargo on the Handysize Navigator Gemini on 2 May, which is due at China's Yizheng port around 27 May, Vortexa data show. The buyer has not been confirmed but the port is owned by Sinopec Yangzi Petrochemical and is close to Sinopec's 280,000 b/d Yangzi refinery. Sinopec has recently been importing more LPG to cover losses during planned maintenance.

BGC helped to turn Iraq from a net importer of LPG to a net exporter in 2016. Exports rose strongly to above 200,000t in 2018, before falling over the next three years, Kpler data show. They have increased significantly in 2024, nearly tripling on the year to 49,000 t/month in January-April and forecast to hit a monthly high of 86,000t this month. But the data may be partially skewed — local industry sources have suggested some Iranian LPG cargoes have been disguised as Iraqi exports through ship tracking to bypass sanctions on the former country's oil and gas sector.

Flare cuts

Iraq is becoming less dependent on BGC for LPG, but the country still relies heavily on its dry gas production for its growing power generation needs. The firm produces enough gas to generate around 3.5GW of the 20GW of power Iraq can generate daily, which is still short of the 35GW it needs at peak times. Iraq simultaneously flares more than half of its gross gas production of around 3bn ft³/d. But Iraq has the world's 12th largest proven natural gas reserves. Underinvestment, mismanagement and conflict have kept it dependent on Iranian gas importsand allowed flaring to continue. Baghdad intends to attract investors to ramp up gas output. The BGC project and a multi-billion dollar deal with TotalEnergies last year that includes a 600mn ft³/d processing plant signal it is moving in the right direction.

Iraq seaborne LPG exports

Iraq sea LPG exports by country 2023

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21/05/25

Mexican GDP outlook dims on tariffs: IMEF

Mexico City, 21 May (Argus) — Mexico's association of finance executives IMEF lowered its 2025 growth forecast for a fourth consecutive month, citing the growing impact of US tariffs on the economy. GDP is now expected to grow just 0.1pc in 2025, according to IMEF's May survey, down from 0.2pc estimates in April, 0.6pc in March and 1pc in February. The number of respondents forecasting a contraction in GDP rose to 16, or 37pc of the sample, from nine in April. While the US has granted some exemptions and discounts for Mexican goods meeting regional content rules, IMEF said the effective tariff rate on Mexican exports remains higher than that for Canada, Brazil, India, Vietnam and others. "We're already seeing the [tariffs'] impacts," said IMEF economic studies director Victor Herrera, adding that May trade data will likely show a sharp drop in Mexican exports to the US. Trade is also being hit by a screwworm outbreak in cattle that led to port closures last week and curtailed beef exports, which account for $1.3bn in annual exports. More automakers could relocate or scale back production in Mexico, Herrera said, after Stellantis confirmed plans to shift some operations to the US and recent reports Nissan may close one or both of its Mexican plants. In response, Mexico this week sent deputy economy minister Luis Rosendo Gutierrez to Tokyo to meet with Mazda, Nissan, Toyota and Honda executives. IMEF cut its 2025 job creation forecast to 200,000 in May from 220,000 in April. Mexico's social security administration IMSS reported only 43,500 new jobs over the past 12 months as of 5 May. Beyond trade, IMEF flagged uncertainty from recent constitutional reforms and the potential for a US tax on remittances as additional risks to growth. The group held its 2025 inflation forecast steady at 3.8pc, despite Mexico's consumer price index rising to 3.93pc in April from 3.80pc in March . IMEF noted concerns about a potential rebound in inflation later this year after the central bank cut its benchmark interest rate by 50 basis points to 9pc on 8 May — the third such cut in 2025. The group now sees the end-2025 rate at 7.75pc, down from 8pc previously. IMEF expects the peso to end the year at Ps20.80/$1, slightly lower than the Ps20.90/$1 forecast in April. The peso recently strengthened to Ps19.34/$1, though Herrera said this reflected dollar weakness more than peso strength. By James Young Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Japan's Astomos, Toho Gas partner on LPG distribution

20/05/25

Japan's Astomos, Toho Gas partner on LPG distribution

Tokyo, 20 May (Argus) — Japanese LPG importer Astomos and city gas distributor Toho Gas will collaborate on LPG distribution in the country's central Chukyo area to streamline distribution and facility operations. Astomos and Toho Gas' LPG sales arm, Toho Liquefied Gas, signed the agreement on 19 May. The two companies will discuss how to collaborate to strengthen tanker transport from import terminals to customers, as well as the filling of tanks and delivery functions. But specific timelines have not been decided and will be discussed, Astomos said. Toho Liquefied Gas supplies LPG to customers in the Aichi, Gifu, Mie, Shizuoka and Ishikawa prefectures. It owns storage tanks in Nagoya, with its combined propane tank capacity at 2,816t and butane tank capacity at 2,404t. The firms will also discuss how to streamline the use of these tanks, Astomos added. Toho Gas sold 474,000t of LPG in the 2024-25 fiscal year ending on 31 March, up by 1.9pc on the year, according to the firm's latest financial results. Most of this was sold by Toho Liquefied Gas. Astomos has separately partnered with fellow importer Gyxis to distribute LPG in the central Chukyo area this year, after closing one of two storage facilities in Aichi prefecture owned by Idemitsu, a shareholder in both firms. The firms will jointly use the Idemitsu Aichi LPG storage facility with a capacity of 105,000t for propane and 76,000t for butane. Astomos has also collaborated with Japan Gas Energy for LPG sales in the central Toyama prefecture since April 2024. There has been greater consolidation of business among Japanese LPG distributors because of declining domestic LPG demand resulting from a falling population, global decarbonisation initiatives including improved energy efficiency, as well as ageing LPG storages which incur maintenance costs. By Reina Maeda Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Trump says US will soon set new tariff rates

16/05/25

Trump says US will soon set new tariff rates

Washington, 16 May (Argus) — The US will unilaterally set new tariff rates on imports from select trading partners instead of holding negotiations over import tax levels, President Donald Trump said today. In the next 2-3 weeks "we'll be telling people what they will be paying to do business in the US," Trump told a group of US and UAE business executives in Abu Dhabi today. Trump contended that more than 150 US trading partners have expressed interest in negotiating with his administration, adding that "you're not able to see that many countries." Trump's administration since 5 April imposed a 10pc baseline tariff on imports from nearly every US trading partner — with the notable exception of Canada, Mexico and Russia. Trump paused his so-called "reciprocal tariffs" until 8 July, nominally to give his administration time to negotiate with foreign countries subject to those punitive rates. The reciprocal tariffs would have added another 10pc on top of his baseline tariff for imports from the EU, while the cumulative rate would have been as high as 69pc on imports from Vietnam. Trump in April suggested that 200 deals with foreign trade partners were in the works. Treasury secretary Scott Bessent has said the US is only negotiating with the top 18 trading partners. The trade "deals" clinched by the Trump administration so far merely set out terms of negotiations for agreements to be negotiated at a later date. The US-UK preliminary deal would keep the US tariff rate on imports from the UK at 10pc, while providing a quota for UK-manufactured cars and, possibly, for steel and aluminum. The US-UK document, concluded on 9 May, explicitly states that it "does not constitute a legally binding agreement." The US-China understanding, reached on 12 May, went further by rolling back some of the punitive tariff rates but left larger trade issues to be resolved at a later date. The Trump administration would keep in place a 20pc extra tariff imposed on imports from China in February-March and a 10pc baseline reciprocal tariff imposed in April. The US will pause its additional 24pc reciprocal tariff on imports from China until 10 August. Conversely, China will keep in place tariffs of 10-15pc on US energy commodity imports that it imposed on 4 February, and 10-15pc tariffs on US agricultural imports, imposed in March. It will maintain a 10pc tariff on all imports from the US that was imposed in April, but will pause an additional 24pc tariff on all US imports until 10 August. These rates are on top of baseline import tariffs that the US and China were charging before January 2025. By Haik Gugarats Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

France consults on expanded biofuels mandate

15/05/25

France consults on expanded biofuels mandate

London, 15 May (Argus) — France has opened consultation on the transposition of part of the recast renewable energy directive (RED III) into national law, which would replace the current system with a new one called "incentive for the reduction of the carbon intensity of fuels" (IRICC). The proposal introduces two separate sets of requirements for transport fuels. The first is for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions, broken down by transport sectors — road, aviation, maritime, LPG and natural gas for vehicles, which could be CNG or LNG (see table). In the current draft, the GHG reduction target for the road sector will start at 5.9pc in 2026, rising to 10.6pc in 2030 and 18.7pc in 2035. For aviation, the target starts at 2.5pc in 2026, rising to 5.8pc in 2030 and 18.8pc in 2035. The GHG mandate levels include a gradual phasing-in of new fuel sectors – river and maritime fuels, fuel gasses, and aviation. To meet the overall RED III target of 14.5pc emissions reduction by 2030, the national French target includes the biofuels mandates, a share for rail transport, and a share or private vehicle charging. The second set of requirements is a renewable fuel requirement by energy content, which is broken down by fuel type — diesel, gasoline, LPG and natural gas fuels and marine fuel (see table). The blending requirements for diesel start at 9pc in 2026, rising to 11.4pc in 2030 and 16pc in 2035. For gasoline, the mandates start at 9.5pc in 2026, rising to 10.5pc in 2030 and 14.5pc in 2035. Finally, the proposal includes a set of sub-mandates for advanced fuels and renewable hydrogen . The advanced biofuels mandate would start at 0.7pc in 2026, rising to 1.95pc in 2030 and 2.6pc in 2035. Users of renewable fuels of non-biological origin (RFNBOs) would not be subject to the advanced sub-mandate. In feedstock restrictions, the crop cap will rise to 7pc from 6.2pc in 2030 and 2035, while the limit for fuels made from feedstocks found in Annex IX-B of RED will be at 0.6pc in 2026, 0.7pc in 2030 and 1pc in 2035 for diesel and petrol. Aviation fuel will not have a IX-B cap until 2030, and from then it will be 6pc. Mandate compliance would be managed by a certificate system through the CarbuRe registry, with a compliance deadline of 1 March the following year. Public electric vehicle charging would also generate tickets, although the amount of tickets generated by charging light passenger vehicles would be reduced from 2031 to reach 50pc in 2035. Renewable hydrogen used in transport would also generate tickets counting towards the hydrogen sub-quota and reduce the overall GHG savings requirement. Public charging stations will start generating fewer tickets for electric passenger vehicles from 2031 to 50pc by 2035. France is also considering steep penalties for non-compliance, at €700/t CO2 not avoided for the GHG reduction requirement and at €40/GJ for the fuel targets. The penalty for not meeting hydrogen and advanced fuel sub-targets would be doubled, at €80/GJ. The consultation is open for comments until 10 June. By Simone Burgin Proposed GHG reduction by transport sector % 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 2034 2035 Road and non-road diesel 5.9 7.1 8.3 9.5 10.6 13.2 14.8 16.2 17.5 18.7 Aviation 2.5 3.3 4.1 4.9 5.8 8.4 10.8 13.3 15.9 18.7 RFNBO sub-target (% en.) 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.2 1.2 2.0 2.0 2.0 5.0 Maritime 2.5 3.25 4.0 5.0 6.0 7.0 8.0 10.0 12.0 14.5 RFNBO sub-target (% en.) 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.2 1.2 1.2 1.2 2.0 2.0 LPG and natural gas fuels 0.0 0.0 2.7 6.3 10.6 13.2 14.8 16.2 17.5 18.7 DGEC Proposed energy content mandate by fuel type % (en.) 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 2034 2035 Diesel 9.0 9.5 10.1 10.7 11.4 12.2 13.0 13.8 14.9 16.0 Petrol 9.5 9.7 10.0 10.2 10.5 11.1 11.8 12.6 13.4 14.5 Natural gas fuels 0.0 0.0 3.0 7.0 12.0 15.0 16.0 18.0 19.0 21.0 LPG 0.0 0.0 3.0 7.0 12.0 15.0 16.0 18.0 19.0 21.0 Marine fuel 2.9 3.8 4.7 5.9 7.1 8.2 9.4 11.8 14.1 17.1 DGEC Proposed caps and sub-targets % (en.) 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 2034 2035 Feedstock caps Crop feedstocks 6.2 6.4 6.6 6.8 7.0 7.0 7.0 7.0 7.0 7.0 Annex IX-B feedstocks* 0.6 0.6 0.65 0.7 0.7 0.75 0.8 0.85 0.9 1.0 Cat. 3 tallow 0.5 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.7 Tall oil 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.15 0.15 0.15 0.15 0.15 0.2 Fuel sub-targets Advanced feedstocks 0.7 0.95 1.25 1.6 1.95 2.0 2.1 2.25 2.4 2.6 RFNBOs/Renewable hydrogen 0.05 0.2 0.5 1.0 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 2.0 *For diesel and petrol Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Q&A: Braskem Idesa Mexico terminal to feed cracker

14/05/25

Q&A: Braskem Idesa Mexico terminal to feed cracker

Mexico City, 14 May (Argus) — The new ethane storage terminal owned 50:50 by Brazilian-Mexican JV Braskem Idesa and the Netherlands-based Advario will be fully operational by mid-July, when the Etileno XXI cracker returns from a full-stop maintenance program, said Cleantho Leite, chief executive of Terminal Quimica Puerto Mexico (TQPM), in an interview with Argus. Edited highlights follow. What does the new terminal represent for Braskem after years of limited ethane supply? TQPM solves a long-standing ethane supply shortage in Mexico, which remains one of the largest ethane consumers in the region. Under the previous supply contract with Pemex, we did not have full supply. It was like having an F1 car with only 70pc of its fuel — eventually, we would run out of supply before even completing the race. Now, thanks to this terminal, Braskem can import the ethane it needs from the US to ensure consistent operations. Of course, we will continue buying from Pemex whenever possible, as its ethane remains the most cost-effective solution. But with this infrastructure in place, we are no longer tied to a single supply source. When will the terminal begin operating at full capacity? We are currently in pre-operational stages, and commercial operations are expected to begin by late May. Then, the Braskem complex will enter its scheduled maintenance shutdown. Once it resumes in mid-July, we will begin transitioning to full utilization of the terminal. The facility is fully capable of covering up to 100pc of Braskem's demand. In fact, it was designed with a 25pc buffer — excess capacity that could support future expansions. The equipment is ready, and whether we go from 75pc to 100pc in 15 days or in a month will depend entirely on Braskem's operating strategy. What is going to happen with the ethane Pemex no longer uses? For now, I do not see Pemex's own complexes significantly increasing their consumption of ethane. It is not like they will double their intake overnight. At least during 2025, Pemex is still in the process of reactivating its own crackers, so that volume will remain available to Braskem. If Pemex eventually requires more supply, it has its own import terminal. Alternatively, it could request capacity from TQPM if needed. Also, Braskem has long-term contracts that allow flexibility in adjusting volumes. If there is unused ethane in a given month, we can resell it to other locations. That has always been part of our strategy. The Braskem group, through Braskem Trading and Shipping, has consistently found alternatives for any surplus. Do you foresee any regulatory or permitting issues under the new legal framework in Mexico? No. We already hold all relevant permits from the now-defunct energy regulator CRE, which are now under the authority of the new CNE. That means no additional permits are required for the terminal under the new framework. Furthermore, the open-access guidelines established by the CRE are still valid and will be used by the CNE to issue and manage permits. The only other authorizations we need are from customs, which have not hindered pre-operations. Historically, the CRE reviewed transportation tariffs every five years, and we expect the CNE will follow the same regulatory schedule. What is the outlook for Braskem's crackers in Brazil regarding a transition to ethane? In Brazil, Braskem currently operates four crackers — three based on naphtha and one, in Rio de Janeiro, on ethane. The company is studying a broader shift toward ethane to reduce dependence on naphtha. Shipments to Brazil would follow a similar model to what we are doing in Mexico, with contracts signed with US suppliers. Our Salvador Bahia plant already receives ethane occasionally, using vessels that take roughly 12 days to arrive. Mexico has a geographical advantage — just two days away from US ethane. What are the long-term plans for TQPM? Our immediate focus is stable operation and efficiency. Long term, the terminal is well located in the Interoceanic Corridor and could serve future industrial projects. We have space and docking infrastructure to add tanks for chemicals, ammonia or propane. Nothing is confirmed yet, but in 3–4 years we expect opportunities to emerge. By Édgar Sígler Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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