Storm heads toward Texas export, refining hub

: Biofuels, Chemicals, Crude oil, LPG, Oil products, Petrochemicals
21/09/13

A storm system in the southwestern Gulf of Mexico may develop into a hurricane in the coming days as it heads toward the key refining and crude export hub of Corpus Chirsti, Texas.

Tropical storm Nicholas was located about 260 miles (420km) southeast of the mouth of the Rio Grande river that forms the US/Mexico border at about 8pm ET today, heading north at about 2 mph, with a possible landfall sometime late on 13 September near Corpus Christi.

The US Coast Guard set the Port of Corpus Christi to condition X-Ray at 6:45pm ET today, which means gale force winds were expected to arrive within 48 hours. All commercial traffic and transfer operations can continue during X-Ray, but the Coast Guard said ocean-going commercial vessels and ocean-going barges greater than 500 gross tons should make plans to depart the port.

Corpus Christi is a key US crude export port and home to several major facilities, including Citgo's 157,500 b/d refinery, Valero's 200,000 b/d refinery and Flint Hills Resources 260,000 b/d refinery.

As Nicholas continues north and moves inland, forecasters predict heavy rains for other Texas cities, including Freeport, Houston and Galveston. A hurricane watch has been issued for the Texas coast from Port Aransas to Sargent, 20 miles south of Freeport.

By Tom Fowler

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26/02/05

Rotterdam biomarine 2025 sales fall as bio‑LNG surges

London, 5 February (Argus) — Marine biodiesel sales fell on the year in Rotterdam in 2025, but bio-LNG and biomethanol made sharp gains while conventional bunker fuels were roughly steady. Marine biodiesel blend sales fell by 16pc to 629,700t in 2025 from 2024, according to data from the Port of Rotterdam. Sales declined by 18pc in the fourth quarter from the third quarter. Data from the Port of Singapore, on the other hand, showed strong growth in blend sales, with marine biodiesel sales higher by 56pc year-on-year in 2025. This was driven by higher uptake of B24, B30 and B100 used to meet FuelEU Maritime requirements, which came into effect in 2025 and require ships coming in, out of, and operating within EU waters to reduce emissions. Rotterdam sales fell due to more competitive pricing east of Suez, pulling demand towards Singapore. B24 Ucome dob Singapore prices averaged $685.71/t in 2025, compared with $797.23/t for B30 Ucome dob ARA. Shipowners bunkering marine biodiesel in Singapore for EU-bound voyages can use it for FuelEU Maritime compliance. Energy used on voyages between EU and EEA ports and non-EU ports has a 50pc share of regulatory coverage, and full coverage for voyages intra-EU. Compliance generated from bunkering marine biodiesel in Singapore can then be used to achieve compliance on vessels operating European routes, via the pooling mechanism, in which obligated companies can combine their compliance balance with other vessels. This has driven an emerging FuelEU compliance surplus market, where participants can buy compliance via pooling to avoid physical bunkering of alternative marine fuels. For use of bio-LNG, over-compliance has sold at a significant premium to cost. As a result, bio-LNG bunker sales in Rotterdam jumped by more than 500pc on the year to 17,650m³ in 2025 on strong demand , and by 1,975pc on the year in the fourth quarter. Biomethanol sales rose by 200pc on the year to 11,800t in 2025, also supported by FuelEU Maritime and an increase in the number of methanol-capable vessels coming into operation — 60 methanol-capable vessels were in operation or on order in 2025, according to DNV data, compared with 17 in 2024. Sales of conventional bunker fuels in Rotterdam in 2025 were largely stable, up by 1pc on the year to 8.73mn t. But ultra-low sulphur fuel oil (ULSFO) sales rose by 16pc on the year, to the highest since 2021, as demand rose to reflect stricter requirements after the Mediterranean was designated an emissions control area (ECA) by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) in May. Vessels transiting the sea are limited to emitting 0.1pc sulphur. The sulphur emission limits of the ECA in the Mediterranean also contributed to firmer demand for marine gasoil (MGO) and marine diesel oil (MDO). Sales of the products at Rotterdam were up 7pc on the year while fourth quarter sales were unchanged on the year but up by 4pc on the quarter. MGO-based marine biodiesel blends firmed to record highs of 93,200t in 2025, supported by the ECA expansion. But European decarbonisation and regulations — such as EU ETS expansion, FuelEU Maritime, and RED III — made very-low sulphur fuel oil (VLSFO) less attractive for shipowners that are seeking ECA-compliant 0.1pc sulphur fuels such as ULSFO or marine gasoil. VLSFO sales fell by 7pc on the year in 2025 while fourth quarter VLSFO sales were down 8pc on the year but up 17pc quarter on quarter. The increase in scrubber-fitted vessels continued to support sales of high-sulphur fuel oil (HSFO) at Rotterdam, which increased 3pc on the year. HSFO sales at the port in the fourth quarter were up by 3pc on the year but down by 8pc on the quarter. By Hussein Al-Khalisy and Siew Hua Seah. Rotterdam bunker sales t Fuel 2025 2024 y-o-y % 4Q 2025 3Q 2025 q-o-q % 4Q 2024 y-o-y % ULSFO 864,782 748,186 16% 219,039 232,720 -6% 193,567 13% VLSFO 2,850,083 3,076,817 -7% 745,786 635,638 17% 810,831 -8% HSFO 3,420,908 3,330,327 3% 804,962 872,077 -8% 780,437 3% MGO/MDO 1,590,902 1,483,332 7% 402,781 387,173 4% 395,903 2% Conventional total 8,726,675 8,638,662 1% 2,172,568 2,127,608 2% 2,180,738 -0% Biofuels blends 629,706 752,103 -16% 161,934 198,515 -18% 118,201 37% LNG (m³) 992,911 941,366 5% 192,433 331,620 -42% 263,068 -27% Bio-LNG (m³) 17,644 2,775 536% 11,932 960 92% 575 1975% Biomethanol 11,819 3,946 200% na na na 930 na Port of Rotterdam Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Hängepartie beim Gebäudeenergiegesetz dauert an

26/02/05

Hängepartie beim Gebäudeenergiegesetz dauert an

Hamburg, 5 February (Argus) — Die angekündigte Neufassung des Gebäudeenergiegesetzes lässt weiter auf sich warten. Betroffene Branchen sind zunehmend verunsichert, in der Folge werden deutlich weniger Heizungen verkauft. Derweil bezweifeln grüne Interessenverbände basierend auf einem rechtlichen Gutachten, ob eine Abschwächung des Gesetzes verfassungskonform wäre. Im Koalitionsvertrag der aktuellen Bundesregierung aus CDU/CSU und SPD heißt es:"Wir werden das Heizungsgesetz abschaffen. Das neue Gebäudeenergiegesetz (GEG) machen wir technologieoffener, flexibler und einfacher". Knapp neun Monate nach Amtsantritt warten sowohl Heizungsbauer, als auch Konsumenten weiterhin auf mehr Klarheit, wie das geplante neue Gesetz tatsächlich ausgestaltet wird. Bislang wurde lediglich der Name geändert: Statt Gebäudeenergiegesetz soll es künftig Gebäudemodernisierungsgesetz (GMG) heißen. Zentraler inhaltlicher Streitpunkt in der Koalition ist weiterhin die geltende Vorgabe, dass Heizungsanlagen unter bestimmten Voraussetzungen künftig mit einem Anteil von 65 % erneuerbaren Energien betrieben werden müssen. CDU und CSU möchten die erreichbare CO2-Vermeidung im Gebäude als zentrale Steuerungsgröße etablieren — wie auch im Koalitionsvertrag festgeschrieben. Die SPD warnt hingegen, dass eine Aufweichung der Vorschriften den Klimaschutz im deutschen Gebäudesektor unterlaufen könnte. Zur Debatte steht außerdem, ob durch verstärkte Effizienzmaßnahmen wie eine bessere Gebäudedämmung der vorgeschriebene Anteil erneuerbarer Energien gesenkt werden könnte, oder ob die Umsetzungs- und Übergangsfristen angepasst werden. Zuletzt sagte eine Sprecherin des Bundeswirtschaftsministeriums (BMWE) am 2. Februar in der Bundespressekonferenz, dass die Regierung noch mehr Zeit brauche. Man befinde sich nach wie vor gemeinsam mit dem Bauministerium und den Fraktionsspitzen in Verhandlungen. Die Sprecherin zeigte sich optimistisch, dass die Regierung "Eckpunkte bald, beziehungsweise zügig, vorlegen" könne. Die Regierungsparteien möchten demnach verhindern, dass eine mangelnde Abstimmung mit den Fraktionen erneut zu einer langwierigen Diskussion im Bundestag führt. In der vergangenen Legislaturperiode sei dies eingetreten, nachdem die Ministerien ohne ausgiebige Beratung mit den Fraktionen eigene Eckpunkte für das GEG vorgestellt hätten. Limbo verunsichert Kunden und Heizungsbranche zunehmend Bereits Mitte Oktober 2025 mahnten der Bundesverband der Deutschen Heizungsindustrie und der Zentralverbrand Sanitär Heizung Klima, dass eine Verschleppung des Vorhabens Heizungsanbieter und Verbraucher weiter verunsichern würde. Und dies wiederum treffe die Branche empfindlich: "Seit fast zwei Jahren schrumpft der Absatz von Heizungen in Deutschland. 2025 wird der Absatz voraussichtlich so niedrig sein wie seit über einem Jahrzehnt nicht mehr". Demnach habe sich der Heizungsabsatz 2024 im Vorjahresvergleich bereits halbiert. Bis einschließlich August 2025 lag ein weiterer Rückgang um 19 % vor. Die Branche stehe bereit, pro Jahr mehr als eine Million Heizungen zu modernisieren. Dafür ist sie jedoch darauf angewiesen, dass es klare politische Rahmenbedingungen gibt. Denn sowohl Hersteller von Heizungssystemen, als auch Handwerksbetriebe müssten in neue Produkte und Nachwuchs investieren. Laut dem aktuellen Gebäudereport der deutschen Energieagentur (dena) von Anfang Januar werden trotz des Wärmepumpen-Booms in 2024 und 2025 derzeit noch 79 % der 20 Millionen Wohngebäude in Deutschland mit Öl oder Gas beheizt. Da die Bauaktivität in den letzten Jahren deutlich abgenommen hat, stammen viele der Bestandsbauten außerdem aus einer Zeit, als die energetischen Standards noch deutlich niedriger waren. Dies unterstreiche aus Sicht der dena die Bedeutung von Sanierungsmaßnahmen, auch abseits der Heizungssysteme. Neben Branchenverbänden legen auch Anbieter von Biomethan großen Wert auf eine zeitnahe Verabschiedung der angekündigten Eckpunkte: Denn das geplante GMG setzt für die Biomethanbranche den Rahmen, in dem sich ihr Markt künftig entwickeln kann. Biomethan gilt weiterhin als ein wichtiger erneuerbarer Energieträger, der dazu beitragen kann, den bislang noch vorgeschriebenen Anteil von 65 % erneuerbarer Energien in gasgestützten Heizsystemen zu erreichen. Damit hängt die künftige Nachfrage nach Biomethan stark davon ab, welche Regeln das Gesetz am Ende festschreibt. Eine Analyse der dena zeigt, dass die aktuell gültige Fassung des GEG den Biomethanbedarf bis 2040 auf 13,4 bis 44,6 TWh ansteigen lassen könnte, falls Wasserstoff in den kommenden Jahren nicht flächendeckend verfügbar wird. Die Verzögerungen bei der Ausarbeitung des Gesetzes führten in den letzten Monaten zu einer Phase der Unsicherheit für Produzenten und auch Investoren in der Biomethanbranche. Verzögert sich das GMG, verzögern sich auch die verbindlichen Rahmenbedingungen dafür, wo Biomethan künftig eine Rolle spielen kann. Für die Branche bedeutet das einen Stau bei Investitionen in Produktionskapazitäten, Zertifizierungssysteme und langfristige Lieferverträge. Zweifel an Verfassungskonformität Während in Berlin noch an Details gefeilt wird, werden inzwischen Zweifel laut, ob eine Absenkung oder sogar Abschaffung des 65 %-Ziels überhaupt verfassungskonform wäre: In einem von Greenpeace und Gaswende in Auftrag gegebenen Gutachten der Hamburger Anwaltskanzlei Günther — das am 2. Februar veröffentlicht wurde — wird insbesondere infrage gestellt, ob eine solche Aufweichung mit dem "Klimabeschluss" des Bundesverfassungsgerichts aus 2021 vereinbar ist. In diesem stellte das oberste Gericht fest, dass "die Pariser Klimaziele in Deutschland der verfassungsrechtliche Maßstab für Klimaschutz sind (Art. 20a GG)". Darüber hinaus habe der Internationale Gerichtshof im Juli 2025 entschieden, dass das Pariser 1,5 °C-Ziel völkerrechtlich bindend ist. Da Deutschland laut dem Sachverständigenrat für Umweltfragen die vor dem Hintergrund der Zielerreichung zulässigen CO2-Emissionen bereits jetzt ausgeschöpft habe, werden Klimaschutzinitiativen im Gebäudesektor zunehmend relevanter. Die Anwälte kommen in ihrem Gutachten zu dem Schluss, dass "eine Reduktion des Erfordernisses, in neuen Heizungsanlagen 65 % erneuerbare Energien einzusetzen" das GEG (oder künftig das GMG) und dessen Auswirkungen auf den Klimaschutz "massiv entwertet". Auch die Etablierung der möglichen CO2-Einsparung im Gebäude als Steuerungsgröße sehen die Verfasser kritisch: "Emissionsfaktoren beruhen auf festgesetzten und damit letztendlich politischen Werten". Zusätzlich könnten bilanzielle Ausgleichmechanismen dazu führen, dass im Endeffekt zu wenig Emissionen im Gebäudesektor eingespart werden, um die Klimaziele zu erreichen. Eine feste Quote für erneuerbare Energien sei deshalb der sicherste Weg, um auf den Pfad der Zielerreichung zurückzukehren. Von Johannes Guhlke und Svea Winter Senden Sie Kommentare und fordern Sie weitere Informationen an feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . Alle Rechte vorbehalten.

Crude Summit: Brazilian export logistics are stretched

26/02/05

Crude Summit: Brazilian export logistics are stretched

New York, 4 February (Argus) — Brazilian crude exporters are working to address bottlenecks that are becoming overburdened by the country's surging exports, according to speakers at the Argus Americas Crude Summit today. The potential lack of enough dynamic positioning (DP) tankers to ferry crude from the country's offshore production sites to the coast for transfer onto standard tankers for export is "something everyone has to be worried about," said Fernando Colares Nogueira, Petrobras' head of crude oil, said at the event. Brazil's crude production climbed by 12pc year over year to 3.77mn b/d in 2025 , and is expected to rise further this year . To meet the demand, Petrobras has six of these DP tankers on order, said Nogueira, which would add to the roughly 50 that already operate along the Brazilian coast. The port of Acu is the receiving port for much of these crude-laden DP tankers, but is struggling to keep up with the rising ship-to-ship transfers happening at the port and needs "relief", said PetroChina International Trading's vice president of crude Alipio Ferreira. Petrochina is investing in improving port infrastructure across the country, including building a new terminal in Puerto Central, said Ferreira. By Nicholas Watt Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Crude Summit: Canadian oil to Asia is ‘kicking up’

26/02/04

Crude Summit: Canadian oil to Asia is ‘kicking up’

Houston, 4 February (Argus) — Canadian crude highly sought by Asian refiners and the region will "pick up the slack" if Californian demand wanes, Trans Mountain said today at the Argus Americas Crude Summit in Houston, Texas. "We've been pleasantly surprised by the increase in demand, and it is primarily China and it is primarily petrochemical demand," Trans Mountain vice president of business development Jason Balasch said. "It's been kicking up lately." California has also been a key destination for Canadian crude after Trans Mountain's 590,000 b/d expansion came online in May 2024, but aging refineries and stringent state regulations are prompting downstream operators to shutter facilities. Chinese refiners meanwhile have taken a shine to Canadian crude, like Access Western Blend (AWB), which has both light and a heavy ends. The crude's ability to produce higher amounts of naphtha is especially of interest, as that is a key feedstock for the country's growing petrochemical industry. The now 890,000 b/d dual pipeline system has given Albertan oil producers a meaningful alternative to shipping almost all of its crude to US refiners, while removing any doubts over how willing Asian refiners would be to take Aframax-sized cargoes from Vancouver, British Columbia. "As we approached startup in late 2023, early 2024, it was viewed primarily as a California export play, but it's really becoming an Asian play," said Balasch. The demand for space on Trans Mountain's system is evident in utilization that averaged above 90pc in the fourth quarter, according to Balasch. This is up from 87pc in the third quarter and, coupled with restrictions on Enbridge's 3.1mn b/d Mainline that delivers crude into the US, is another signal more space out of the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin will be needed. Further expansion of Trans Mountain system is being planned to help meet growing Asian demand. The federally-owned company is less than two years removed from bringing online its 590,000 b/d Trans Mountain Expansion (TMX) project, and this week applied to the regulator to increase capacity by 90,000 b/d using drag reducing agent (DRA). The DRA project could be online as early as January 2027, according to the application. Trans Mountain is considering another 210,000 b/d expansion after that, which could be brought online in either 2029 or 2030, Balasch said. That would bring total pipeline capacity up to about 1.19mn b/d, with another 35,000 b/d potentially flowing "seasonally". Moving mountains Even with optimization projects, a pipeline pinch is expected by many forecasters, including RBN president David Braziel, who said rising Canadian production may outpace egress as early as 2027 or 2028. Politically, energy security is now top of mind, which has shone a bright light on the missteps by Canada's approach to oil and gas development over the past decade, Braziel said, but political will is not all that is required. "Politics is politics," said Braziel. "It's really the economics of projects and the markets that are going to fundamentally decide what gets built." Optimization projects by Trans Mountain and Enbridge are expected to give some relief, but yet another supply crunch may develop beyond 2030, raising the need for another pipeline altogether. If Trans Mountain's two optimization projects are completed, the pipeline will be physically maxed out with no other low hanging fruit left to deliver large tranches of capacity. The Alberta government has long-called for more pipeline capacity and is planning to submit a proposal to the federal government by June. Alberta premiere Danielle Smith said previously a 1mn b/d pipeline to British Columbia's north coast would be ideal and has made an arrangement with Canada's prime minister Mark Carney to pursue those plans, but that will be no small feat. Carney wants to further diversify trade away from a hostile US administration and energy is a key component of talks, making strides with other countries who have also been caught up in US president Donald Trump's trade wars. By Brett Holmes Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Crude Summit: Brazil not worried about Venezuela crude

26/02/04

Crude Summit: Brazil not worried about Venezuela crude

Houston, 4 February (Argus) — Rising volumes of heavy sour Venezuelan crude will not compete with Brazilian grades because they cater to different markets, panelists said at the Argus Americas Crude Summit in Houston, Texas, today. In the short term, less than 300,000 b/d of Venezuela crude will head to the US while Brazil will keep sending barrels worldwide, mainly to Asia, said PetroChina International Trading's vice president of crude Alipio Ferreira. "It makes a lot of sense for American refiners to buy this," Ferreira said. The Venezuelan crude will compete with other grades including Western Canadian Select (WCS), and crudes from Mexico, Ecuador and Colombia, said state-controlled Petrobras' global crude oil manager Fernando Colares Nogueira on the sidelines of the conference. More Venezuelan heavy sour crude is hitting the global market after trading firms Trafigura and Vitol were approved by the US government to market unsanctioned Venezuelan oil following the US capture of former Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro on 3 January. More recently, the US lifted sanctions on Venezuela's oil exports, with caveats prohibiting sales to Cuba, business deals involving many Chinese companies and oil-for-debt arrangements. The lifting of sanctions will allow Venezuela's state-owned PdV to directly sell cargoes to eligible buyers abroad. Brazil is the sixth-largest oil producer, with output increasing by about 400,000 b/d in 2025, part of a boom in crude production in Latin America that will continue, Nogueira said. Most of Brazil's exports will continue to go to Asia though the end of the decade , Ferreira said. Growing supply from Brazil and Argentina could also lead to an increase in co-loading cargoes with crude from the two countries going to China, Ferreira said. Petrobras has already co-loaded crude from the two countries on a very large crude carrier (VLCC) — one time late last year and once early in 2026, Ferreira said. The co-loading involves a ship-to-ship transfer. Argentina sent a few cargoes of light sweet Medanito crude to Asia-Pacific at the start of this year as producers try to expand the grade's market in the region. Only four Medanito cargoes headed to Asia-Pacific in 2024, according to data from oil analytics firm Vortexa. The growing number of shipments to Asia come as a consortium of eight Argentinian producers build a new oil pipeline, the 271-mile Vaca Muerta Sur, connecting the Vaca Muerta shale fields, from where Medanito is produced, to the Punta Colorada port. The new port will handle VLCCs. The lack of VLCC loading has been one of the biggest bottlenecks for expanding Medanito's reach to Asian markets. Currently, draft limitations cap Argentina exports to a maximum 800,000 bl on Suezmaxes or Aframaxes, which makes sales to Asia-Pacific mostly unfeasible. By Eunice Bridges Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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Storm heads toward Texas export, refining hub

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