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European FCC margins flip back to premiums

  • : Oil products
  • 26/06/09

Northwest European fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) margins have returned to a premium after a rare few sessions of negativity.

FCC margins — calculated as a 70:30 ratio between gasoline and diesel refining margins adjusting for delivered northwest Europe low-sulphur vacuum gasoil (VGO) differentials to crude prices — were a $3.59/bl premium at the close on Monday, 8 June, the highest since 1 May and compared with rare discounts, of around $10/bl, in the last week of May.

The shift is important at the start of the European summer driving season. Blending indicators have been relatively profitable in Europe, with the gasoline-naphtha spread at $264.35/t at the last close.

Paper market participants have pointed to increased buying interest for the paper 'gas-nap' contract since mid-May, with trades reported around $240-270/t. The wider spread, along with good export interest from US, have supported gasoline blending activity even with low FCC margins.

A European trader said the transatlantic arbitrage appeared to narrow in recent sessions, suggesting a slowdown in exports to the US in the coming weeks. This may hamper the need to blend gasoline. But demand in the Mediterranean region has picked up, an analyst said, especially in France because of refinery maintenance works.

A rise in European demand may partially account for waning export interest.

VGO premiums against the Ice August Brent crude futures contract narrowed to a $28/bl premium, from a record high $40.50/bl on 26 May. Supply tightness has eased slightly, with two VGO cargo arrivals from Saudi Arabia last week.

Narrowing VGO premiums have also supported hydrocracker margins this week, which recovered to a $13.35/bl premium on 8 June from a 41¢/bl discount on 26 May.

European refiners have prioritised diesel and jet fuel yields in recent months as the European middle distillate markets have lost a significant share of imports from east of Suez. A large share of available VGO has, hence, been almost entirely redirected to the diesel pool for hydrocracker utilisation.

An estimated 15pc of European diesel imports have been hindered due to the US-Iran war. Refiners are likely to continue increasing diesel yields, which may further cut into VGO availability for FCCs, despite the rise in margins.

Secondary unit margins $/bl

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