Tampa: With the world market for sulfur on the decline, several sources said last week that the U.S. market may follow suit. Qatar’s price was reduced to $133/mt FOB, and China has been paying as low as $150/mt CFR for the sulfur it receives.
The market was essentially in balance in the U.S., however, due in part to turnarounds in the Midwest. Refinery operating capacity rates fell 0.9 percent last week, to 86.4 percent from the previous week’s 87.3 percent, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
The second-quarter molten sulfur price for Tampa was $155/lt FOB.
In other news, Exxon-Mobil was working to repair a leak in a combustor at its Baton Rouge refinery, which was putting as much as 48,000 pounds more of sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere. The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality said the problem was discovered on May 29, but there was no date for when the repair would be complete.
U.S. Gulf: More product was said to be moving south, with a price range of $140-$150/mt FOB.
Vancouver: There was no change in spot prices at Vancouver, which remained in the $130-$140/mt FOB range.
China has remained Vancouver’s biggest customer, but smaller volumes to customers in Latin America were bringing higher prices.
West Coast: Bakken low-sulfur crude was getting noticed on the West Coast, although the impact so far has not been that great.
Prices on the West Coast were in the $143-$153/mt FOB range.
Benelux: The price range for the second quarter was $175-$185/mt FOB.
ADNOC: The ADNOC price for May was $155/mt FOB.