Tampa:
The second-quarter Tampa molten contract price was noted at $481/lt CFR, up $199/lt from the first quarter’s $282/lt CFR price.
Nationwide refinery utilization pushed higher for the week ending May 20, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). Refiners operated at 93.2% of capacity for the week, rising 1.4% from the week-ago 91.8%. The current average topped both the year-ago 87.0% and the five-year average of 86.6%.
Crude inputs reportedly lifted to an average 16.269 million barrels/d, the first move above the 16 million barrel/d mark since the week ending Aug. 20, 2021. The rate increased 334,000 barrels/d from the prior week’s 15.935 million barrels/d.
U.S. Gulf:
Genscape reported the May 21 shutdowns of two 97,000 barrel/d crude distillation units (CDUs), as well as a 120,000 barrel/d CDU, at the ExxonMobil Corp refinery in Baton Rouge, La. The plant’s 225,000 barrel/d Pipestill 10 crude section was noted remaining online. All three affected CDUs were seen as successfully restarting on May 25.
Multiple unit shutdowns were observed at the Calcasieu Lake Charles, La., refinery during the morning of May 25, Genscape noted.
Valero successfully restarted a 128,000 barrel/d CDU and a sulfur recovery unit (SRU) at the company’s Meraux, La., refinery on May 25. All monitored units at the facility were reported going offline on March 30 as part of a planned maintenance project. A 50,000 barrel/d vacuum distillation unit (VDU) and a 55,000 barrel/d hydrocracker showed signs of increasing activity, but had not yet restarted on May 25.
Sources reported the sale of a 20,000 mt sulfur cargo during the week. Priced at $470/mt FOB, the material was slated for June loading from Galveston/Beaumont.
Gulf sulfur pricing continued to be noted in the $470-$480/mt FOB range, unmoved from the prior report.
Brazil:
Brazil imports were heard at $520-$525/mt CFR, based on a recently-awarded CMOC tender. Second-quarter import contracts continued to be noted in the $480-$485/mt CFR range.
Vancouver:
Following China higher, sources described Vancouver export sulfur pricing firming to the $475-$480/mt FOB range in recent trading, up $10/mt from the previous $465-$470/mt FOB range.
Alberta:
Increased activity was observed from a 38,000 barrel/d FCC at the Suncor facility in Edmonton, Alta., on May 19, although the unit remained shy of regular operating levels. The refinery entered a planned maintenance turnaround in late March. The turnaround was expected to end in June.
Alberta sulfur netbacks were indicated in the $366-$411/mt FOB range, a shift from $395-$411/mt FOB reported previously.
West Coast:
Genscape reported the May 21 restart of a 166,000 barrel/d CDU at the PBF Energy refinery in Torrance, Calif. The unit was noted shutting down on May 19, and began showing signs of significant heating on May 20.
West Coast prill indications followed Vancouver higher, firming to $475-$480/mt FOB. Second-quarter molten sulfur contracts were reported in the $375-$390/lt FOB range, an increase from $230-$245/lt FOB in the prior period.
China: CDU capacity growth at China is expected to lead Asian additions through the next five-year period, GlobalData.com reported. China will account for 48% of new capacity in the region, based on announced projects, with eight new CDU refineries projected to come online by 2026.
Recent import sulfur pricing at China was quoted in the $520-$525/mt CFR range, rising from $510-$515/mt CFR reported previously.
ADNOC:
Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. solid sulfur offers were heard at $470/mt FOB Ruwais for May loading, up $50/mt from April’s $420/mt FOB offer.
Qatar:
Qatar prills were noted at $460/mt FOB Ras Laffan for May, an increase of $30/mt from April’s $430/mt FOB posted price.
SULFURIC ACID
U.S. Gulf:
No new pricing was reported for the Gulf import market, leaving values at the week-ago $265-$270/mt CFR level.
Gulf Coast:
Sulfuric acid delivered to locations along the U.S. Gulf Coast was quoted in the $195-$280/st DEL range for 2022 contracts.
Midwest:
Midwest contracts for 2022 were noted even with the Gulf at $195-$280/st DEL.
West Coast:
Sources called the West Coast sulacid market in the $185-$270/st DEL range for current-year contracts.
Brazil:
With no new business reported, Brazil market price ideas continued at their prior $275-$280/mt CFR level.