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Upper Mississippi River ice tops 5-year average

  • Spanish Market: Agriculture, Biofuels, Chemicals, Coal, Fertilizers, Metals, Oil products, Petrochemicals
  • 13/02/25

Ice measurements taken Wednesday to gauge when barges can transit the upper Mississippi River exceeded the five-year average, according to the US Army Corps of Engineers (Corps).

The annual Lake Pepin ice reports — taken by the Corps in February and March at Lake Pepin south of Minneapolis — are a bellwether for when barge transit can resume on the upper Mississippi River.

This year's first report found ice at the lake was 19in thick on 12 February, 8in thicker than last year's measurement and 3in above the five-year average.

The Corps' initial report last year found only 11in of ice at the lake, thin enough for waterborne traffic to break through. Subsequent reports were cancelled after the Corps said it would be too hazardous for crews and equipment to take additional measurements.

Locks along the upper Mississippi River are anticipated to remain closed through 3 March, the Rock Island Corps district in Illinois said on 5 February.


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21/03/25

TFI applauds addition of potash as US critical mineral

TFI applauds addition of potash as US critical mineral

Houston, 21 March (Argus) — US fertilizer industry group The Fertilizer Institute (TFI) applauded President Donald Trump's decision to include potash in the administration's list of American critical minerals and confirmed to its members today it is looking to have phosphate added to the list as well. Under the executive order issued Thursday, which aims to increase US production of critical minerals, the National Energy Dominance Council will receive a list of mineral production projects. Within 10 days of the order being issued, the NEDC will be expected to identify priority projects to be given the necessary permitting or approval to begin advancement. "President Trump's [executive order] will help ensure a stable and abundant supply of fertilizers. which are critical to maintaining the global competitiveness of US farmers, strengthening rural economics, and keeping food prices in check," TFI said. The Defense Production Act and federal financing tools will be used to provide supportive funding for new mining projects, and a dedicated critical minerals fund is expected to be created as well. The lions share of the US' potash supply is imported, with 98pc annually coming from other countries and 85pc of that from Canada, according to TFI data. The US in comparison is one of the top five phosphate rock producing countries in the world, where roughly 20mn short tons were produced in 2024. Most phosphate rock production in the US is located in Florida and most domestic potash production is located in New Mexico. However, in January the US Department of Energy said it would conditionally back more than $1bn in loans to Michigan Potash to finance construction of the first domestically built production facility in 60 years. Under the newly issued executive order, the Michigan Potash project could be guaranteed more definitive funding and government attention. Michigan's potash reserve is ideally located within the US' fertilizer demand center, and the project in its first phase will produce about 800,000 metric tons of potash annually, Michigan Potash chief development officer Cory Christofferson said today. "In subsequent expansion phases, we can produce 4mn t of potash or more annually." By Taylor Zavala Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Shell ends direct bitumen sales to some German buyers


21/03/25
21/03/25

Shell ends direct bitumen sales to some German buyers

London, 21 March (Argus) — Shell will stop directly supplying bitumen to some of its low-volume customers in Germany, with effect from 1 April. Shell told customers it has restructured its bitumen distribution channels and can no longer directly distribute to certain customers, according to an email from Shell's bitumen supply unit in Germany seen by Argus . It recommended they instead buy from German bitumen trading and supply firm Bitumina Handel. Neither Shell Germany nor Bitumina Handel have commented, but Argus understands the oil major, which is one of Europe's leading refinery bitumen producers, has concluded a deal with Bitumina to take over supply to its affected customers. The move is part of a wider switch by Shell to focus more on trading bitumen cargoes and less on directly supplying truck volumes to inland customers. The company ended a long-term throughput and supply arrangement into the French market through the Nantes and Bayonne terminals on the French Atlantic coast. Spain's Repsol and Moeve have taken over those operations . Shell last year ceased its South African bitumen retail and truck supply operations . Shell's European bitumen production is at its 187,000 b/d Godorf refinery in western Germany and at its 447,000 b/d Pernis refinery in Rotterdam. The firm recently stopped processing crude at the 147,000 b/d Wesseling section of its 334,000 b/d Rhineland refinery complex. The effect of that on bitumen production at Godorf, the other section of Rhineland, is unclear. By Fenella Rhodes Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Australia's Simcoa may buy carbon credits until 2028


21/03/25
21/03/25

Australia's Simcoa may buy carbon credits until 2028

Sydney, 21 March (Argus) — Australia's silicon producer Simcoa will likely need to buy and surrender Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) until 2028 for safeguard mechanism compliance obligations before it completes a key decarbonisation project, it told Argus today. The project was awarded federal funds on 20 March. Australia's federal Labor government granted Simcoa A$39.8mn ($25mn) under its Powering the Regions Fund (PRF) to expand charcoal production at its Wellesley facility in Western Australia (WA) and remove the use of coal in silicon production. The project is expected to reduce the company's scope 1 emissions by around 90pc, or approximately 100,000 t/yr of CO2 equivalent (CO2e). Simcoa is Australia's only silicon manufacturer, which is a key component of solar panels. The funding will help maintain silicon manufacturing capability in the country in addition to cutting emissions, energy minister Chris Bowen said. The company currently uses 35,000 t/yr of metallurgical low ash coal in its operations, and anticipates usage will drop to zero after it doubles its charcoal production capacity by 25,000 t/yr to 50,000 t/yr. The completion date for the expansion is not expected before 2028. The firm may continue to buy [ACCUs] as it must use coal as a reducing agent for part of its production for calendar years 2025-27, or until the expansion project can be commissioned, the company told Argus on 21 March. Simcoa surrendered 22,178 ACCUs in the July 2022-June 2023 compliance year as it reported scope 1 emissions of 122,178t of CO2e with a baseline of 100,000t CO2e at its Kemerton silicon smelter. Figures were lower for the July 2023-June 2024 compliance period, the company said, without disclosing details. Australia's Clean Energy Regulator (CER) will publish 2023-24 safeguard data by 15 April . Simcoa anticipates scope 1 emissions at the Kemerton smelter to be "considerably below" the baseline once the charcoal expansion is completed and could make it eligible to earn and sell safeguard mechanism credits (SMCs), which traded for the first time in late February . "We will take whatever opportunity is available to us," the company said on potentially holding or selling SMCs in future. By Juan Weik Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Phillips 66 weighs Louisiana refinery expansion


20/03/25
20/03/25

Phillips 66 weighs Louisiana refinery expansion

Houston, 20 March (Argus) — US independent refiner Phillips 66 is seeking state tax incentives for a possible expansion of its 264,000 b/d refinery in Lake Charles, Louisiana. The expansion would increase production capacity and improve operational efficiency through upgrades and new specialized equipment, according to a summary of the project posted by the Louisiana Department of Economic Development. The agency, which administers state incentives, said that the Phillips 66 project is in review. Phillips 66 said today that it does not typically comment on refinery operations, regulatory filings or commercial activities. According to the Louisiana Department of Economic Development posting, the $99mn upgrade would include adding a 5MW steam turbine power generator, a boiler feedwater chemical system, LCR kerosene product rundown system upgrades, a reactor, a naptha fractionator, and other pieces of equipment. The budget includes $40mn for machinery and $59mn for labor and engineering. The project is estimated to be completed at the end of 2027. By Eunice Bridges Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Upper Mississippi River reopens for transit


20/03/25
20/03/25

Upper Mississippi River reopens for transit

Houston, 20 March (Argus) — The first towboat arrived at St Paul, Minnesota, today, marking the start of the 2025 navigation season on the upper Mississippi River, according to the US Army Corps of Engineers (Corps). The Neil N. Diehl passed through Lock 2 at Hastings, Minnesota, with nine barges, crossing into St Paul on 19 March. Tows reaching St Paul signify the unofficial start of the navigation season, as St Paul is the last port to open on the Mississippi River after winter ice thaws each year. This is considered an average start time for the navigation season, which typically opens the third week of March. The first tow to reach St Paul in 2024 arrived on 17 March. The Corps released the final Lake Pepin ice measurements of 17in on 12 March and was unable to take new measurements this week since the ice had melted significantly. Lake Pepin measurements help determine when the ice will be thin enough for barges to transit up river. By Meghan Yoyotte Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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