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
Browse the latest market moving news on the global road fuels industry.
Australia’s election gives LNG, fuels sector certainty
Australia’s election gives LNG, fuels sector certainty
Sydney, 5 May (Argus) — Australia's governing Labor party's second majority term could mean that changes to the offshore permitting regime promised last year are signed into law, while east coast LNG businesses will avoid a planned reservation system proposed by the opposition. Labor's victory at the 3 May election combined with the election of fewer members from the Greens party and climate-focused independents, could mean it faces less pressure to cancel fossil fuel projects. But it will remain reliant on the Greens to pass laws through the nation's upper house — the senate — meaning Labor may need to negotiate the passage of bills with the leftist party if the Liberal-National-based coalition opposes its measures. The Greens ran on a promise to ban new coal, oil and gas projects but won fewer seats than in 2022 because of preference flows. A federal decision on the lifetime extension of the Woodside Energy-operated 14.4mn t/yr North West Shelf (NWS) LNG delayed by Labor, is now looking more positive for the firm. The firm sees approval as vital to progressing its Browse gas development offshore northwestern Australia. Voters' rejection of the opposition Coalition on the nation's east coast means its policy to reserve a further 50-100PJ (1.34bn-2.68bn m³/yr) from the Gladstone-based LNG exporters will not proceed. The result provides an opportunity for certainty and stability for the energy sector, upstream lobby Australian Energy Producers said. The group urged the government to focus on new supply as Australia's gas reserves for domestic use rapidly deplete. The government will need to specify exactly how it aims to secure supplies to ensure stable supply, once coal-fired generators retire at the end of the 2020s and into the 2030s. This is because the nation's integrated system plan is based on Labor's policy of reaching 82pc renewable energy in the power grid, backed up by about 15GW of gas-fired power. Industry will await further direction stemming from the Future Gas Strategy which canvassed solutions to Australia's declining gas supply including new pipelines, storage and seasonal LNG imports. Permitting concerns In the government's previous three-year term, a series of court-ordered requirements to consult with affected Aboriginal groups briefly disrupted multi-billion dollar LNG developments. Labor promised to specify through new laws exactly which groups must be consulted before approvals could be granted. But these were dropped from the agenda in early 2024 following opposition by the Greens. Labor's resources minister Madeleine King blamed the Greens for obstructionist manoeuvres on this legislation, but it remains unclear if and when Labor might introduce such laws. Conversely, the Coalition promised to end government support for anti-gas lobbies such as law group the Environmental Defenders Office — set to continue under Labor. In liquid fuels, Labor's victory should boost Australia's electric vehicle (EV) sales, with emissions standards laws set to remain enforced. The Coalition had said it would soften the laws because of concern over cost of living pressures. Plans to temporarily cut the fuel excise will also not progress. Australia's EV take-up has stalled, and industry has blamed this on poor investment in recharging infrastructure and other policy settings, including the removal of the fringe benefits tax exemption for plug-in hybrid car models. A re-elected Labor government is likely to further policy towards a mandate for sustainable aviation fuel or renewable diesel, given the growing share of Australia's emissions projected to come from the transport industry. It pledged A$250mn ($162mn) for low-carbon liquid fuels development in March , for low-carbon liquid fuels development in March, as part of its commitment to the nascent sector. Local market participants are optimistic that further biofuels support will be provided as urgency to meet net zero ambitions builds, including a 2030 target of 43pc lower emissions based on 2005 levels. About A$6bn/yr of feedstocks like canola, tallow and used cooking oil are exported from Australia, while existing ethanol and biodiesel producers are running underutilised plants, making about 175mn litres/yr at present, because of poorly-enforced blending mandates. By Tom Major Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
German oil product transport still disrupted
German oil product transport still disrupted
Hamburg, 28 April (Argus) — Traders at the PCK consortium's 230,000 b/d Schwedt refinery in east Germany are facing mounting supply pressure because oil product transport by train is currently impeded by construction work. Germany's west and southwest continue to face resupply issues because of low water levels on the river Rhine. A rail closure for construction works between Berlin and Eberswalde is causing significant delays in the transport of product from the Schwedt refinery. Construction began on 11 April and is scheduled to finish on 31 May. During this time, trains transporting product from Schwedt to Berlin and to tank farms in the southeast are being diverted via Stralsund. The diversion adds about 400km, or roughly 11 hours, to the journey and increases costs, traders said. Suppliers in southeast Germany are raising their prices for distillates because of tighter availability as a result, while sellers at Schwedt are lowering their gasoline prices in particular to incentivise buyers. Traders are facing increased supply pressure because less product is being transported south. High overall demand for distillates since the beginning of the month has prevented similar pressure from building for heating oil and diesel so far. In western Germany, availability of gasoline in tank farms along the Rhine remains tight. Although water levels on the river Rhine increased throughout the past week, allowing barge operators to load about half their maximum capacity, they are expected to recede again until mid-May, federal waterways and shipping administration data show. The water level near the bottleneck at Kaub is expected to fall to about 80cm by 6 May, from 136cm today. Barge operators have kept freight rates up in anticipation of the fall in water levels and because of continued high demand. But a ramp-up in production at the Bayernoil joint venture's 215,000 b/d Vohburg-Neustadt refinery could lead to an increase in supply in Germany's south. The operator took the refinery's Vohburg site offline for a planned turnaround on 3 March, with works lasting until 3 April. Availability had remained tight throughout April, though. By Natalie Müller Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Border checks boost legal fuel sales in Mexico
Border checks boost legal fuel sales in Mexico
Mexico City, 25 April (Argus) — Mexico's crackdown on fuel smuggling is disrupting illicit supply chains and boosting sales for compliant players operating through regulated imports, sources say. Fuel imports from Texas by tank truck were halted for at least three weeks as part of Mexico's broader push to curb smuggling at the US border. Authorities increased permit checks and cargo inspections in April, although cross-border flows have gradually resumed this week, according to one source familiar with the matter. Rail flows were largely unaffected, as most of the smuggled fuel crosses via tank truck. As a result, some retail fuel stations in northern Mexico that sold gasoline and diesel below market prices faced shortages in late April, operating intermittently or closing for some days, one fuel retailer told Argus . While compliant retailers saw higher sales, major importers and marketers, including state-owned Pemex, also benefited from the border closure. Executives from a private company with a valid import permit told Argus sales rose by 15-20pc on a yearly basis in some regions. The US-Mexico border remains an active corridor. Several Texas cities host terminals dedicated to fuel exports, with suppliers and truckers among the key players. But only a limited number of private-sector companies in Mexico hold valid import permits, meaning many tank truck shipments enter irregularly or avoid paying proper taxes. Collateral damage Mexico's tax authority on 9 April suspended US independent refiner Valero's fuel import permits as part of the efforts to fight fuel smuggling. The suspension was lifted on 23 April, but the two-week stop disrupted supply in several regions. Although Valero operates about 290 retail fuel stations of the 13,800 across Mexico, the company sells gasoline and diesel to other retailers and fuel marketers. Valero's fuel sales account for about 10pc of Mexico's gasoline and diesel demand, according to the company. Mexico has long battled fuel theft, tax evasion and contraband. Illicit fuel is estimated to meet up to 30pc of Mexico's 1.2mn b/d gasoline and diesel demand, according to the finance ministry. Much of it enters by mislabeling refined products at the border as petrochemicals, additives or biofuels — which are not subject to the excise tax of Ps7.0946/l ($1.34/USG) for diesel and Ps6.4555/l for regular gasoline. By Cas Biekmann and Antonio Gozain Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
ARA gasoline stocks hit year-to-date low
ARA gasoline stocks hit year-to-date low
London, 24 April (Argus) — Independently-held oil product stocks in the Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp (ARA) hub dropped by 2pc over the past week to 5.97mn t, driven by gasoline inventories hitting a year-to-date low, according to data from consultancy Insights Global. Exports to the US and Canada dragged ARA gasoline stocks down by 8pc on the week to 1.28mn t on 23 April. Naphtha stocks also declined — by 7pc to 479,000t — mainly because of tight supply in Germany and strong demand from petrochemical producers. A rise in water levels on the Rhine contributed to an uptick in barge flows out of ARA, which affected all product markets, Insights Global said. Gasoil and jet fuel inventories bucked the trend, rising by a respective 2pc and 1pc on the week as imports into ARA outpaced exports. By Isabella Reimi Independent ARA stocks on 23 April 000t Product Stocks ± week-on-week ±% week-on-week Gasoil 2,205 49 2.3 Fuel oil 1,161 -28 -2.4 Gasoline 1,275 -110 -7.9 Naphtha 479 -34 -6.6 Jet 852 6 0.7 Total 5,972 -117 -1.9 Insights Global Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
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