Latest market news

May US base oil exports fell amid inventory builds

  • : Oil products
  • 24/08/23

US base oils and finished lubricants exports in May fell by 14pc from year-earlier levels as refiners directed more surplus into inventories to prepare for hurricanes instead of the export market.

Base oil and lubricant exports were 3.53mn bl (113,900 b/d) in May, down from 4.08mn bl (131,900 b/d) a year prior, according to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA). Monthly exports fell by 7.5pc from April totals of 3.82mn bl (127,300 b/d).

Several US refiners started pulling back export volumes because of efforts to build hurricane inventories for the US Atlantic hurricane season. The season typically lasts between August and October along the US Gulf coast. The season was forecast to be more intense than average, which pressured US refiners to build more inventory than in 2023.

Export demand remained firm as Group I and Group II supplies tightened globally because of multiple refinery turnarounds, particularly in Europe. South American base oil prices also started to increase as a key domestic refiner raised its pricing in Brazil. This opened up more arbitrage opportunities for US Gulf coast refiners.

US exports to Mexico in May were 1.35mn bl, steady with year-earlier levels of 1.36mn bl. Monthly exports to Mexico fell by 3.7pc from April totals of 1.42mn bl.

Export volumes to Mexico remained above expectations as import quotas imposed by the government appeared to have less effect than planned. The import quotas took effect in October 2023 and put some downward pressure on volumes from a year-over-year basis.

Exports to Brazil were 323,000 bl in May, down by 15pc from 373,000 bl in 2023. Monthly exports also fell by 17pc from 377,000 bl in April.

Arrivals of US material to Brazil in May fell as a key refiner lowered its domestic prices in April, which narrowed arbitrage during that month. Exports were lower from year-earlier levels as refinery production in Brazil was higher. A key supplier in the region began delaying deliveries of some grades, which increased import requirements for the domestic market.

Exports to Chile reached their highest monthly record since 2010, totaling 142,000 bl in May.

US exports to Belgium, France and the Netherlands totaled 289,000 bl in May, a 54pc decrease from year-earlier levels of 635,000 bl. Monthly exports dropped by 51pc from April totals of 585,000.

Base oil exports to India fell to 62,000 bl, down by 84pc from year-earlier totals of 377,000 bl. There were no reported exports to Nigeria in May.


Related news posts

Argus illuminates the markets by putting a lens on the areas that matter most to you. The market news and commentary we publish reveals vital insights that enable you to make stronger, well-informed decisions. Explore a selection of news stories related to this one.

24/10/04

Global bio-bunker demand to pick up, US left behind

Global bio-bunker demand to pick up, US left behind

New York, 4 October (Argus) — Tightening vessel carbon intensity indicator (CII) scores and looming 2025 FuelEU marine regulation are expected to raise biodiesel demand for bunkering, but non-competitive US prices should continue to weigh down on US bio-bunker demand. Houston B30, a blend of used cooking methyl ester (Ucome) and very low-sulphur fuel oil (VLSFO), in September averaged at $821/t, a $45/t premium to B30 sold in Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp, and a $55/t premium to B24 sold in the west Mediterranean hub of Gibraltar and Algeciras (see chart) . Houston B30 was also priced at $115/t and $61/t premium to B24 sold in Singapore and Guangzhou, China, respectively. The price premium would continue to incentivize ship owners with global, ocean-going fleets to pick Asia first for their biodiesel bunker purchases, followed by northwest Europe and western Mediterranean. US demand for biodiesel for bunkering would continue to stagnate unless the US passes a legislation allowing Renewable Identification Number (RIN) credit under the US Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program be used by ocean-going vessels fueling with biodiesel in US ports. The legislation could level US' price playing field. Two bipartisan bills were put forward in support of renewable fuel for ocean-going vessels, one in the US Senate this year and one in the US House of Representatives last year, but they are currently dead in the water. Conventional marine fuels are priced cheaper than biodiesel and green varieties of LNG, ammonia, methanol, and hydrogen. But tightening International Maritime Organization (IMO) and EU regulations are forcing the hand of ship operators to consider green fuels to avoid hefty penalties and having their vessels suspended from trading. Ship owners whose vessels are outfitted with LNG-burning engines, are poised to have the lowest marine fuel expense heading into 2025, as fossil LNG is currently ship owners' cheapest low-carbon fuel option. But retrofitting a vessel to burn LNG could range from $5-$35mn, depending on the size of the vessel. Biodiesel, a plug-and-play fuel that does not require a vessel retrofit, is the second cheapest low-carbon fuel option after fossil LNG. IMO's CII regulation came into force in January 2023 and requires vessels over 5,000 gt to report their carbon intensity, which is then scored from A to E. The scoring levels are lowered yearly by about 2pc, so even a vessel with no change in CII could drop from C to D in one year. If a vessel receives a D score three years in a row or E score in the previous year, the vessel owner must submit a corrective actions plan. E scoring vessels could be prohibited from entering some ports' territorial waters, but this penalty is yet to be imposed on any E vessels. In 2023, the IMO reported that 40pc of the vessels scored A or B, 27pc scored C, 19pc scored D or E and 14pc were unresponsive. The EU's FuelEU maritime regulation will require ship operators traveling in, out and within EU territorial waters to gradually reduce their greenhouse gas (GHG) intensity on a lifecycle basis, starting with a 2pc reduction in 2025, 6pc in 2030 and so on until getting to an 80pc drop, compared with 2020 base year levels. It imposes a penalty of €2,400/t ($2,629/t) of VLSFO equivalent energy for vessel fleets exceeding its GHG limits. By Stefka Wechsler Biodiesel blends* Houston less global ports $/t Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Ocean Petro Gulf to operate Jafza bitumen terminal


24/10/04
24/10/04

Ocean Petro Gulf to operate Jafza bitumen terminal

Mumbai, 4 October (Argus) — Dubai-based trading firm Ocean Petro Gulf (OPG) has leased an oil products and bitumen storage facility terminal in the Jebel Ali Free Zone (Jafza) from energy logistics firm Tristar, and will be the operator, according to market sources. OPG is planning to expand by building a 10,000t bitumen storage facility at the terminal in the near term. OPG has agreed with Tristar to construct the bitumen storage tank on expectations of rising demand in that location. The terminal was previously owned by Shell and was acquired by Tristar in mid-2022. The terminal has been leased out to OPG as of October under a long-term operator arrangement, but the duration of the lease was undisclosed. The terminal currently has a bitumen storage capacity of 11,000t, and can import and export about 350,000 t/yr of oil products. The operatorship agreement also includes an integrated 90,000 t/yr polymer modified bitumen (PMB) plant, drums filling facility and an emulsion plant. The terminal also has a bitumen and PMB testing facility. By Sathya Narayanan Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Nis steps up bitumen, restarts PMB output at Pancevo


24/10/04
24/10/04

Nis steps up bitumen, restarts PMB output at Pancevo

London, 4 October (Argus) — Serbian refiner Nis has stepped up bitumen production and supply at its 110,000 b/d Pancevo refinery after taking delivery of a cargo of bitumen-rich Iraqi Kirkuk crude. A market participant said the Kirkuk cargo was shipped from a Mideast Gulf loading point. A political stand-off since March 2023 has meant northern Iraq crude cannot be supplied into the Mediterranean region via the pipeline from Kirkuk to Ceyhan, southeast Turkey. The switch to the bitumen-rich crude, after lighter grades had been run through Pancevo in recent months, has also allowed Nis to restart its polymer-modified bitumen (PMB) manufacturing plant at Pancevo this week. The higher quality grade, which is produced by adding polymers like styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS) in the initially produced bitumen mix, is increasingly used on some road, highway and airport projects. The PMB plant had been shut since June because the lighter crudes feeding the refinery failed to yield the right specifications and quality of PMBs after mixing with SBS. Nis plans to run another bitumen-yielding Iraqi crude, Basrah Medium, along with Kirkuk this month, helping significantly boost bitumen production for supply into the country's domestic and export markets — mainly Romania and Bosnia-Herzegovina. The heavier crudes will yield very high-sulphur grades of petcoke, the market participant said. By Keyvan Hedvat Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Экспортная пошлина на нефть в Казахстане в октябре снизилась


24/10/04
24/10/04

Экспортная пошлина на нефть в Казахстане в октябре снизилась

Riga, 4 October (Argus) — Ставка экспортной пошлины на нефть в Казахстане в октябре уменьшилась до $77/т с $82/т — в сентябре. Среднее значение котировок сорта Kebco (cif Аугуста) и Североморского датированного в период мониторинга цен с 20 июля по 20 сентября составило $77/барр. по сравнению с $82/барр. — в период предыдущего мониторинга, по данным министерства финансов Казахстана. С сентября 2023 г. ежемесячная ставка пошлины на экспорт нефти и нефтепродуктов в Казахстане меняется при изменении средней мировой цены на $1/барр. вместо прежних $5/барр. в пределах диапазона $25—105/барр. При средней рыночной цене нефти $25—105/барр. размер ставки вывозной таможенной пошлины рассчитывается по следующей формуле: ВТП=Ср*К, где ВТП — размер ставки вывозной таможенной пошлины на нефть и нефтепродукты в долларах США за тонну; Ср — средняя рыночная цена нефти за предшествующий период; К — поправочный коэффициент 1. При значении средней рыночной цены на нефть до $25/барр. размер ставки вывозной таможенной пошлины равен нулю. При цене свыше $105/барр. применяются ставки вывозной пошлины в диапазоне от $115/т до $236/т. Средняя рыночная цена определяется министерством финансов Казахстана ежемесячно на основании мониторинга котировок Kebco и Североморского датированного в течение двух предыдущих месяцев. Полученный результат мониторинга в соответствии с поправками математически округляется до целого числа. По условиям действующих контрактов от уплаты пошлины освобождены крупнейшие экспортеры сырья: Тенгизшевройл (ТШО), Karachaganak Petroleum Operating (KPO) и акционеры NCOC, разрабатывающего месторождение Кашаган. Экспорт сырья из Казахстана в январе — августе снизился до 46 млн т с 47,1 млн т — годом ранее, по данным Ситуационно-аналитического центра топливно-энергетического комплекса Республики Казахстан (САЦ ТЭК). ТШО, КРО и NCOC за указанный период отправили за рубеж 38,7 млн т без уплаты экспортных пошлин. Пошлина на вывоз из Казахстана бензина, дизтоплива, авиакеросина и других дистиллятов в октябре также уменьшится до $77/т с сентябрьских $82/т. Ставка экспортной пошлины на экспорт мазута из Казахстана с 8 сентября составляет $30/т. Согласно внесенным в сентябре изменениям в приказ министерства национальной экономики Казахстана, указанный размер вывозной пошлины на мазут будет действовать в течение всего года. Ставка экспортной пошлины на экспорт вакуумного газойля из Казахстана в октябре составит $60/т. ________________ Больше ценовой информации и аналитических материалов о рынках нефти и нефтепродуктов стран Каспийского региона и Центральной Азии — в еженедельном отчете Argus Рынок Каспия . Вы можете присылать комментарии по адресу или запросить дополнительную информацию feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Группа Argus Media . Все права защищены.

US light vehicle sales surged in September


24/10/03
24/10/03

US light vehicle sales surged in September

Houston, 3 October (Argus) — Domestic sales of light vehicles rebounded in September, increasing to a seasonally adjusted rate of 15.8mn on the strength of greater truck purchases. Sales of light vehicles — trucks and cars — rose from a seasonally adjusted annual of rate 15.3mn in August, the Bureau of Economic Analysis reported today. Sales have whipsawed the previous four months, but September's rate largely was in line with the 15.7mn unit rate in September 2023. The US Federal Reserve last month cut its target rate for the first time since 2020, bringing it down by 50 basis points from its 23-year highs as inflation has been easing. Lower inflation and Fed easing, which ripples across credit markets, make it more affordable for people to purchase new vehicles. Fed policymakers have penciled in another 150 basis points worth of cuts through 2025, as they hope to head off any weakening in the labor market that could scuttle the wider economy. Higher overall sentiment about the US economy, fueled by a robust 3pc growth in gross domestic product (GDP) in the second quarter, healthy labor conditions and consumer spending also have encouraged consumers to spend. Sequentially, light truck sales increased by 3.1pc to a 12.8mn unit rate in September, while sales of cars rose by 4.4pc to a 3mn unit rate in the same time period. By Alex Nicoll Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Business intelligence reports

Get concise, trustworthy and unbiased analysis of the latest trends and developments in oil and energy markets. These reports are specially created for decision makers who don’t have time to track markets day-by-day, minute-by-minute.

Learn more