Tampa:
ExxonMobil Corp. on April 11 shut down a 275,000 barrel/d crude distillation unit (CDU) at the company’s Joliet, Ill., refinery, Genscape reported. Exxon is expected to power down a 95,000 barrel/d fluidic catalytic cracking unit (FCC) and a 12,000 barrel/d alkylation unit in April as part of a planned turnaround.
The CDU was noted restarting on April 12, but is ultimately slated to be powered down again as part of the upcoming “weeks long” maintenance project.
Tampa molten sulfur contracts for delivery in the second quarter were noted at $481/lt CFR, a 71 percent increase from $282/lt CFR agreed in the first quarter.
U.S. refining capacity moved lower, according to the Energy Information Administration (EIA). Capacity utilization for the week ending April 8 was reported at 90.0 percent, a 2.5 point decrease from 92.5 percent in the prior report. The rate remained ahead of the year-ago 85.0 percent and the 84.8 percent five-year average, however.
Crude inputs were also down, the EIA indicated, moving to an average 15.523 million barrels/d from the week-ago 15.948 million barrels/d, a 425,000 barrel/d decline.
U.S. Exports:
Sulfur exports firmed 38.3 percent in July-February, to 1.03 million st from the year-ago 747,659 st. Exports totaled 196,340 st for February, a 134.1 percent increase from 83,878 st recorded in February 2021.
U.S. Gulf:
ExxonMobil restarted a 116,000 barrel/d FCC at its Baton Rouge, La., plant on April 8, Genscape reported. The unit had been offline since Feb. 24. The 80,000 barrel/d ACU-2 crude section was restarted at the TotalEnergies Port Arthur, Texas, refinery on April 11. The unit was shut on April 6.
All monitored units at the Placid Port Allen, La., facility were taken offline on April 12, including an 83,000 barrel/d CDU; a 27,000 barrel/d vacuum distillation unit (VDU); a 25,000 barrel/d FCC; an 11,000 barrel/d catalytic reforming unit; two 20,000 barrel/d hydrotreaters; and a ROSE unit. The CDU, VDU, and one hydrotreater were observed restarting on the morning of April 13.
U.S. Gulf sulfur pricing continued to be noted in the $460-$480/mt FOB range, steady from one week earlier.
Brazil:
Last-done Brazil spot pricing continued to be quoted in the $510-$530/mt CFR range, unchanged from week-ago levels. Contracts for second-quarter contracts were reportedly settled in the $480-$485/mt CFR range.
Vancouver:
Last-done at Vancouver was reported in the $400-$410/mt FOB range. Values were predicted to move higher in the next round of business.
Alberta:
Netbacks for the Alberta sulfur market were quoted in the $330-$411/mt FOB range, unmoved from the prior report. Solid tons selling through the Vancouver export market reflected the weekly low, while molten sulfur contracted into the U.S. were projected toward the upper end of the spread.
West Coast:
Genscape reported the shutdown of a 251,000 barrel/d CDU at the BP Cherry Point, Wash., refinery on April 12. Significant reductions in operational activity were noted to begin at the same time.
West Coast prills continued to be indicated at $400-$410/mt FOB, unmoved from one week earlier. Players called second-quarter molten contracts in the $375-$390/lt FOB range, up $145/lt from $230-$245/lt FOB in the prior period.
China:
Recent China spot sulfur imports remained in the $465-$470/mt CFR range for the week, steady from the prior report.
ADNOC:
Prilled sulfur offered by the Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. was reported at $420/mt FOB Ruwais for April loading, an increase of $85/mt from $335/mt FOB in January.
Qatar:
Muntajat offers for April were heard at $430/mt FOB Ras Laffan, lifting $97/mt from the previous month’s $333/mt FOB level.