Road fuels
Overview
Fuels for road transportation continue to drive the refining industry. But gasoline and diesel use is coming under increasing pressure from the introduction of low-carbon targets around the world.
Global oversupply, new regulatory measures and rapidly increasing competition for export markets are affecting refining margins. The need for accurate insight and data is more critical than ever.
Argus road fuels coverage includes price assessments and key insights into conventional fuels — gasoline, middle distillates and blending components — as well as biofuels, in each key region. Our trusted prices are delivered alongside the latest market-moving news, in-depth analysis, supply and demand dynamics, price forecasts and forward curves data.
Latest road fuels news
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Aumento de mescla do biodiesel atrasará em um ano
Aumento de mescla do biodiesel atrasará em um ano
Sao Paulo, 16 April (Argus) — A elevação do mandato da mescla de biodiesel atrasará até, pelo menos, março de 2027, após o Ministério de Minas e Energia (MME) prorrogar o cronograma dos testes de viabilidade, de acordo com o novo plano apresentado a participantes do mercado. A Lei do Combustível do Futuro previa aumentar a mescla de 15pc (B15) para 16pc (B16) em março de 2026, desde que houvesse comprovação de que os novos níveis são tecnicamente viáveis. O MME espera que o relatório final quanto à utilização de misturas de B16-20 seja aprovado até o fim de março de 2027, caso os testes confirmem, sem ressalvas, que os níveis são viáveis, de acordo com o plano ao qual a Argus obteve acesso. O novo cronograma prevê o início dos primeiros testes experimentais em junho, adiamento de três meses em relação ao plano anterior, publicado em 19 de novembro de 2025. A necessidade de mais tempo para as fases de consolidação metodológica e negociações com laboratórios atrasou parcialmente o cronograma, de acordo com o plano. A falta de infraestrutura para a realização de testes mecânicos contribuiu para postergar o prazo inicial, segundo informações apresentadas pelo MME em março. Em um cenário no qual a aprovação dependa de ajustes técnicos dos testes, o prazo para a validação do relatório final pode se estender até julho de 2027. Ainda não há datas para testes das misturas entre B20-25. O atraso na elevação de mescla coincide com a alta dos preços do diesel S10 nacionalizado no mercado à vista acima dos preços do biodiesel negociado por contrato, desde 5 de março, e com o consequente aumento da pressão pelo avanço do mandato de mescla do biodiesel. O movimento ocorre após a elevação dos preços globais de derivados de petróleo devido à guerra entre Estados Unidos, Israel e Irã. A Associação dos Produtores de Biocombustíveis do Brasil (Aprobio) e a Associação Brasileira das Indústrias de Óleos Vegetais (Abiove) pressionaram neste mês a Agência Nacional do Petróleo, Gás Natural e Biocombustíveis (ANP) para permitir misturas de biodiesel acima do mandato sem autorização prévia. As entidades argumentaram que o Brasil tem capacidade para fornecer uma mistura de biodiesel de até 21,6pc no diesel. O MME não respondeu ao pedido da Argus por comentários referentes ao novo cronograma. Por Lucas Lignon Envie comentários e solicite mais informações em feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . Todos os direitos reservados.
Australia’s Geelong refinery fire extinguished: Update
Australia’s Geelong refinery fire extinguished: Update
Adds fire extinguished status, cause of incident and impact on operations. Sydney, 16 April (Argus) — A fire that broke out at Viva Energy's 120,000 b/d Geelong refinery in Victoria, Australia on 15 April has been extinguished, Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV) said at 12:04 AEST (02:04 GMT) today. The incident was first reported at 23:07 local time, on 15 April with onlookers describing explosions and flames. The fire was contained within the motor gasoline plant area and involved liquid fuels and gases, FRV said at 4:58am. The fire was caused by equipment failure, FRV deputy commissioner Michelle Cowling said. "The facility remains running, on reduced production rates... the impacts will be predominantly to the production of gasoline and aviation gasoline," Viva said. "There is no immediate impact to fuel supply" and it expects to "replace any lost production through its fuel import program." A customer of the refinery said Viva had communicated that the fire was isolated to a small area within the motor spirits section and was believed to have been caused by a ruptured pipe. All diesel has been lifted from the Newport terminal, with deliveries continuing on schedule, the customer added. The 111,402dwt Bluefin Pearl , carrying 447,300 bl of crude from South Australia's Cooper basin, arrived off Geelong just hours before the fire started. The shipment was brought forward and split into separate parcels , enabling earlier delivery of part of the volume late last month. Viva said there is no immediate impact on fuel supplies, according to FRV. The refinery supplies about 10pc of Australia's fuel and is the larger of the country's two remaining refineries, alongside Ampol's 109,000 b/d Lytton site in Queensland state, following a series of closures since 2009. Geelong is Australia's only producer of jet fuel, aviation gasoline and bitumen, making it increasingly critical to national fuel security since the outbreak of the US Iran war in late February. Viva produced 99,000 b/d at Geelong last year and will run the refinery until at least 30 June 2030 under a fresh subsidy deal, struck with the federal government last month. Australia has 23mn litres of aviation gasoline used in small aircrafts in storage, energy minister Chris Bowen said. This equates to around 116 days of consumption. Viva said it expects to offset any production losses through imports . Petrol production is likely to be affected in the near term, Bowen said at a press conference today. This follows additional imports secured earlier this week, with the government confirming it had purchased 570,000 bl of gasoil under Australia's new strategic reserve framework. The energy ministers meeting with state, territory and New Zealand counterparts would be held next week as planned, Bowen said. National Cabinet meeting could be convened if conditions deteriorate, but Australia's fuel supply remained stable despite the refinery fire, he added. Trading in Viva Energy securities was halted on 16 April, with normal trading expected to resume by 20 April at the latest. By Tom Major, Tom Woodlock and Lawrence Wen Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
War reshapes fuel flows Africa, Pakistan: Clarification
War reshapes fuel flows Africa, Pakistan: Clarification
Clarifies in 8th paragraph that gasoline cargoes with quality issues did not originate from India Dubai, 16 April (Argus) — Gasoline buyers in East Africa and Pakistan are drawing supplies from Europe, India and Saudi Arabia's Red Sea refineries as war-related disruptions delay cargoes flows from key Mideast Gulf exporters, shipping data and market sources. In Kenya, April gasoline supply has so far remained largely intact, but the loss of cargoes from the UAE, which was the country's largest supplier last year, has already shifted sourcing towards Europe, India and Saudi Arabia's Red Sea refineries. No new vessels have been chartered from the UAE since the start of the Iran war, while some Mideast Gulf cargoes bound for Kenya have also been rescheduled, a Kenya-based market source said. UAE supplied 48pc of Kenya's gasoline imports in 2025, data from oil analytics firm Vortexa show. Despite the US-Iran ceasefire announced on 7 April, shipowners remain wary of lifting cargoes from Mideast Gulf ports, with sentiment further dampened by Iranian warnings of retaliation against regional ports following US naval blockade plans . Most of the Mideast Gulf-origin gasoline reaching Kenya is now coming from Saudi Arabia's Red Sea ports of Yanbu and Jizan, which are located outside the strait of Hormuz. At least 72,000t of finished gasoline has arrived from the two Saudi ports since the conflict began — the first such flows since November. The Kenyan government said supply agreements with Middle East national oil companies remain on track through mid-April, with more deliveries expected by the end of the month . But that contrasts with signs of strain in the domestic transport sector, where operators say some filling stations are seeing long queues while others have run dry. In a circular seen by Argus, the Kenya Transporters Association said some operators were facing fuel rationing, limits on bulk supply and tighter credit from oil marketing companies, despite official assurances that stocks remain sufficient. Europe has increasingly become a notable supplier, with at least six vessels booked since 28 February to transport a total 512,000t of gasoline from Belgium and Latvia to Kenya. In comparison, only two vessels carrying around 120,000t gasoline in December, and one carrying 71,000t in January had headed to Kenya from Europe. India has also stepped in supplying smaller cargoes. Around 60,000t of gasoline was shipped from India to Kenya on the Torm Emma on 2 April, according to Vortexa data. Separately, market participants said some cargoes originally bound for other destinations and later diverted to Kenya had quality challenges, including higher sulphur content and lower octane specifications. A similar pattern is emerging in Tanzania, where Indian gasoline cargoes are making up for the reduced UAE supplies. No vessels have departed the UAE for Tanzania since 28 February, even though the UAE was its second-largest supplier in 2025 after India. In comparison, the UAE shipped around 34,000t of gasoline to Tanzania in February and 38,000t in January this year. The only Mideast Gulf cargo that has reached Tanzania since the war began was a 35,000t shipment from Saudi Arabia's Yanbu refinery — the first such flow from there since December. India shipped about 140,000t to Tanzania in March, up from roughly 70,000t in February, according to ship-tracking data. A local trader said some of those volumes are facing discharge delays because of berth constraints at Tanzanian ports. Pakistan is seeing a similar shift in its gasoline trade flows as well, with European cargoes replacing disrupted Mideast Gulf supplies. At least two vessels — the Lamu and Metro Mistral — are due to discharge in Pakistan in April carrying gasoline from Europe, according to ship-tracking data. But this atypical trade flow is expensive. The Metro Mistral was chartered by TotalEnergies on 10 March at $5.37mn for its Europe-to-Pakistan voyage. In comparison, Oman's OQ chartered a vessel for $1.55mn for a recent Sohar-Pakistan gasoline voyage. The last heard Fujairah-Pakistan booking was around $750,000, up from roughly $500,000 before the war. By Rithika Krishna Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Fire burning at Viva’s Geelong refinery in Australia
Fire burning at Viva’s Geelong refinery in Australia
Sydney, 16 April (Argus) — A fire broke out at Viva Energy's 120,000 b/d Geelong refinery in Australia overnight, and was still burning as of 5:27am local time (19:27 GMT) on 16 April. The incident was first reported at 23:07 local time on 15 April with onlookers describing explosions and flames. The fire is contained to the motor gasoline plant area and involves liquid fuels and gases, Fire and Rescue Victoria said at 4:58am. Smoke is still affecting northern suburbs of the city of Geelong, including Corio where the plant is located. Viva said there is no immediate impact on fuel supplies, according to Fire and Rescue Victoria. The refinery supplies 10pc of Australia's fuel and is the larger of two remaining in the country after a raft of closures since 2009, along with Australian refiner Ampol's 109,000 b/d Lytton site in Queensland state. Geelong is Australia's only refiner of jet fuel, aviation gas and bitumen and has been considered even more critical to the nation's fuel security since the outbreak of the US-Iran war in late February. Viva produced 99,000 b/d at Geelong last year and will run the refinery until at least 30 June 2030 under a fresh subsidy deal, struck with the federal government last month. 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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