Tampa:
Genscape on Aug. 31 reported increased activity from a 70,000 barrel/d catalytic reformer at BP’s Whiting, Ind., refinery, although the unit remained below operational levels. Multiple units were knocked offline by an electrical fire on Aug. 24 at the 435,000 barrel/d facility.
Decreased activity continued at a 102,000 barrel/d coking unit, while a slow ramp-up from a 24,000 barrel/d hydrotreater was observed starting on Aug. 26. The plant’s 255,000 barrel/d Pipestill 12 crude section and a 70,000 barrel/d Pipestill 11A crude distillation unit (CDU) remained fully offline on Aug. 31.
Citgo was noted restarting units at its Lemont, Ill., facility on Aug. 28, including a 189,000 barrel/d CDU, a 71,000 barrel/d vacuum distillation unit (VDU), and a 28,000 barrel/d catalytic reformer. The units had been shut since July 12 for planned maintenance.
Tampa molten sulfur contracts were valued at $352/lt CFR for the third quarter, falling $129/lt from $481/lt CFR in Q2.
US refinery utilization moved lower for the week ending Aug. 26, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported, falling to 92.7% from the week-ago 93.8%. The rate was above both the year-ago 91.3% and the 90.4% five-year average, however.
Daily crude inputs moved to an average 16.238 million barrels/d for the period, down 17,000 barrels/d from the 16.255 million barrels/d rate posted previously.
U.S. Gulf:
The Calcasieu Lake Charles, La., refinery briefly shut a 73,000 barrel/d CDU on the morning of Aug. 26, according to Genscape. The unit was restarted approximately one hour after going offline.
The 626,000 barrel/d Motiva Port Arthur, Texas, refinery on Aug. 30 shut an 88,000 barrel/d fluidic catalytic cracking unit (FCC) and a 12,000 barrel/d hydrotreater due to a pipe leak, Bloomberg reported. Both units were projected to begin restarting on Aug. 31, according to a TCEQ filing. Increased activity was observed from the FCC on Aug. 31, although the unit remained below normal activity levels.
Increased activity levels were noted from a 96,000 barrel/d VDU at the LyondellBasell Ind. refinery at Houston, Texas, on Aug. 31. The VDU and an associated 149,000 barrel/d CDU were reported shutting on Aug. 11 for a planned three-week maintenance turnaround.
Last-done on the Gulf sulfur market continued to be heard in the $39-$56/mt FOB range, unmoved from the prior report.
Brazil:
No new business was reported for the Brazil import sulfur market. Eyes were turned to a pending Galvani Fertilizantes tender, reportedly for October fulfillment. “(The) Galvani tender should shed some light on price discovery,” said one source.
With no new trading reported, the Brazil market remained at $90-$100/mt CFR.
Vancouver:
Recent Vancouver sulfur pricing continued to be heard in the $70-$75/mt FOB range, unchanged from the prior report.
Alberta:
Alberta netbacks were steady at $0-$282/mt FOB, based on both molten tons contracted into the US market and prills sold internationally through the Vancouver export market.
West Coast:
Genscape on Aug. 31 reported the shutdown of a 60,000 barrel/d catalytic reformer at the Chevron Corp. refinery in El Segundo, Calif. A sulfur recovery unit (SRU) has remained offline at the facility since January 2021.
Price ideas on solid sulfur loading from the West Coast were flat at $70-$75/mt FOB. Molten contracts were reported in the $370-$385/lt FOB range for loading in the third quarter, a decrease from $375-$390/lt in 2Q.
China:
China state-operated oil company Sinopec is forecasting a 6% year-over-year drop in annual refinery outputs from the company in 2022, Reuters reported. The decline was expected due to reduced demand stemming from a number of COVID-related shutdowns during the year.
Sulfur imported to China was heard lifting to $125-$130/mt CFR in recent trading. The market was previously noted in the $110-$125/mt CFR range.
Qatar:
Muntajat solid sulfur offers for September were up $12/mt, to $89/mt FOB Ras Laffan. Muntajat, the marketing arm of Qatar Petroleum, was reported offering at $77/mt FOB in August.