Tampa:
Genscape reported increasing activity from the 190,000 barrel/d DU-2 crude distillation unit (CDU) at the Phillips 66 Wood River, Ill., refinery on May 31, although the unit remained below normal operational levels.
The CDU was reported shutting on March 7 during a planned turnaround. Decreased activity was observed from a 48,000 barrel/d fluidic catalytic cracking unit (FCC) at the site on May 31. The company reported an unspecified equipment breakdown at Wood River on May 29.
Tampa molten sulfur contracts were quoted at $481/lt CFR for delivery in the second quarter, rising $199/lt from the prior $282/lt CFR contract.
Refinery utilization moved lower for the week ending May 27, according to Energy Information Administration (EIA) data. Capacity was noted at 92.6% for the week, a 0.6% decline from the 93.2% rate reported previously, but holding above both the year-ago 88.7% and the five-year average of 87.6%.
Daily crude inputs hovered above the 16 million barrel/d mark, registering an average 15.033 million barrels/d through the period, a 236,000 barrel/d decline from the 16.033 million barrels/d reported previously.
U.S. Gulf:
Valero on June 1 restarted a 32,000 barrel/d catalytic reformer at the company’s Meraux, La, plant, according to Genscape. The unit was taken offline during a planned facility-wide maintenance shutdown on March 30. Several units, including a 50,000 barrel/d vacuum distillation unit and a 55,000 barrel/d hydrocracker, were noted operating below normal restart levels on June 1.
A June 1 flaring event reported at the Motiva Port Arthur, Texas, refinery was not accompanied by any observable unit shutdowns, Genscape indicated.
Sulfur cargos loading from the U.S. Gulf continued to track in the $470-$480/mt FOB range, steady from one week earlier.
Brazil:
Recent Brazil spot imports remained at $520-$525/mt CFR, players said, unchanged from the previous spread. Contract values were quoted in the $480-$485/mt CFR range for the second quarter.
Vancouver:
Last-done pricing on prilled sulfur exported from Vancouver held steady in the $475-$480/mt FOB range through the week.
Alberta:
Suncor successfully restarted the 38,000 barrel/d FCC at the company’s Edmonton, Alta., facility on June 1, Genscape reported, after the unit was powered down for maintenance activities on March 29. A 94,000 barrel/d naphtha hydrotreater taken offline at the same time remained offline. The plant’s 60,000 barrel/d CDU was noted restarting on May 26.
An activity increase was reported from the 48,000 barrel/d RHC 3 hydrocracker and an integrated 65,000 barrel/d hydrotreater at Shell’s Scotford, Alta., upgrader on May 30, although both units remained shy of normal operating levels. The units reportedly went offline for maintenance on March 15.
Sulfur netbacks to suppliers located in Alberta continued to be pegged in the $366-$411/mt FOB range, and included both molten tons contracted into the U.S. and prilled material selling internationally on the Vancouver export market.
West Coast:
Genscape reported a flaring event at the PBF Energy refinery in Torrance, Calif., on June 1. The activity coincided with the start of unspecified maintenance activities scheduled to kick off the same day.
Solid sulfur loading from the West Coast remained in the$475-$480/mt FOB range, unchanged from one week earlier. Sources pegged molten sulfur contracts at $375-$390/lt FOB for delivery in the second quarter, rising from $230-$245/lt FOB in the first quarter.
China:
Sources continued to call the recent China import sulfur market in the $520-$525/mt CFR range, steady from the prior report.
Qatar:
Muntajat sulfur offers for June were heard rising to $490/st FOB Ras Laffan, a $30/mt increase over the $460/mt FOB level noted for the prior period.