All posts by mickeybarb@charter.net

Muriate of Potash

Brazil, California, Eastern Cornbelt, Market Watch, Pacific N.W., Potash Muriate, Russia, U.S. Gulf, Western Canada, Western Cornbelt

U.S. Gulf:

NOLA potash barge prices continued to move up, increasing to $650-$680/st from the week-ago $640-$675/st FOB.

Eastern Cornbelt:

The potash market was quoted at $715-$730/st FOB in the Eastern Cornbelt, with the low confirmed at Cincinnati and reflecting a $5-$20/st increase from the previous week. In the Northeast, potash pricing FOB Fairless Hills jumped to $750/st FOB for Q4, up $30/st from last week.

Western Cornbelt:

Potash pricing was pegged at $700-$730/st FOB in the Western Cornbelt, up $10-$15/st at the top end of the range.

California:

Potash pricing remained at a firm $695-$705/st FOB for the last reported Q4 offers in California, with the low for 60 percent and the high for 62 percent MOP.

Pacific Northwest:

The potash market firmed to $662-$665/st FOB regional warehouses for Q4 shipment, but, as one source said, “They can post a price, but you can’t buy any.”

The last posted potash prices from Intrepid FOB Moab and Wendover, Utah, included $675/st for 60 percent white granular and $670/st for 60 percent white standard, but the company confirmed on Oct. 7 that it had pulled its most recent pricing offers for both potash and Trio while it assesses the changes in the market.

Western Canada:

Potash pricing in Western Canada was quoted at C$800/mt FOB Saskatchewan mines for Q4 truck shipment, up from the last reported range of C$755-$765/mt.

Russia:

January-August 2021 MOP exports were up 34 percent, to 7.8 million mt from 5.8 million mt during the same period last year, according to Trade Data Monitor (TDM). The main buyers of the Russian product so far this year were China at 1.9 million mt, up 65 percent from 2020; Brazil at 1.7 million mt, up 10 percent; and the U.S. at 809,000 mt, up 397 percent.

August 2021 exports were down 14 percent, to 725,000 mt from 839,000 mt in August 2020. Brazil showed a drop of 68 percent during the month, importing 90,000 mt. At the same time, China increased its monthly take from 113,000 mt in August 2020 to 330,000 mt in August 2021.

Russia’s potash exports to India were sharply lower in the Jan.-Aug. period this year compared with a year-ago. Exports fell 71 percent to 155,854 mt from 545,053 mt, according to TDM.

Notably, Russia made a single shipment since the new India contract price was established, first at $247/mt CFR with 180 days credit in late January (GM Jan. 29, p. 17), and then at $280/mt CFR in April (GM April 9, p. 17).

Russia exported 60,056 mt in April, its only export between February and August, no doubt reflecting the better netbacks that can be secured for sales elsewhere.

Brazil:

The MOP price at Paranagua held even at $780/mt CFR as more vessels with product arrive at their berths and begin to unload their cargo. Sources reported some sellers offering at $800-$830/mt CFR, but so far with no takers.

Inland prices softened a bit as MOP moved from the ports to local distributors. Sources now peg the market at $880-$938/mt FOB ex-warehouse.

Sulfur

ADNOC - Abu Dhabi, Alberta, Brazil, China, Market Watch, Qatar, Sulfur, Tampa, U.S. Gulf, Vancouver, West Coast

Tampa:

Tampa molten sulfur agreements were quoted at $183/lt CFR for fourth-quarter delivery, falling $12/lt from $195/lt CFR in Q3.

U.S. refinery utilization fell for the week ending Oct. 8, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported. Operable capacity stood at 86.7 percent for the period, a 2.9-point slide from 89.6 percent noted previously. Despite the lower numbers, the current-week rate led both the year-ago 75.1 percent and the 83.5 percent five-year average.

Average daily crude inputs were noted falling to 15.061 million barrels/d, a 683,000 barrel/d decline from 15.744 million barrels/d in the prior report.

U.S. Gulf:

The Royal Dutch Shell Plc Norco, La., refinery, one of two refineries still offline following Hurricane Ida, was expected to begin restart efforts during the week, according to Reuters. Norco, along with the flooded Phillips 66 Alliance, La., plant, were taken offline on Aug. 28 in advance of Ida’s landfall.

At Norco, the restart was projected to begin with a 55,000 barrel/d hydrotreater, as well as two sulfur recovery units (SRUs). Repairs at the site have been underway since Aug. 30.

Reuters reported a new contract proposal offered by ExxonMobil Corp. to about 650 United Steelworkers union (USW) local 13-243 members locked out from the plant since May 1. Operations at the 369,000 barrel/d plant have continued at a reduced capacity using temporary workers.

Price ideas on sulfur exported from the Gulf remained at $190-$200/mt FOB, unchanged from one week earlier.

Brazil:

Recent Brazil spot continued in the $244-$246/mt CFR range for the week, sources said. New concluded pricing from the Arab Gulf was expected to lift Brazil toward $260/mt CFR in the next round of business.Fourth-quarter contracts were quoted at $234/mt CFR, increasing from $221-$223/mt CFR in the prior period.

Vancouver:

Sources continued to report last-done Vancouver business in the $180-$192/mt FOB range, flat from the previous report.

Alberta:

Netbacks on Alberta sulfur were indicated in a wide $68-$122/mt FOB range, unchanged from the prior report.

West Coast:

West Coast price ideas continued to be called even with Vancouver at $180-$192/mt FOB, unmoved from one week earlier.Molten sulfur loading from the West Coast was quoted at $160-$170/lt FOB for the fourth quarter, increasing from $150-$155/lt FOB in Q3.

China:

China spot pricing reportedly firmed to $240-$250/mt CFR coming out of the Oct. 1-7 Golden Week holiday. The market was previously reported at $230-$240/mt CFR.

ADNOC:

The shifting economics of the global refining industry has led the Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. (ADNOC) to temporarily shelve plans to build a new 400,000 barrel/d refinery in the port city of Ruwais, Arab News reported.

Solid sulfur pricing for October was posted at $193/mt FOB Ruwais, up $13/mt from $180/mt FOB noted in the prior month. Sources described a $220/mt FOB spot cargo trading from the Arab Gulf during the week, signaling a continued rise in sentiment heading into the fourth quarter.

Qatar:

Qatar prills were noted at $192/mt FOB Ras Laffan for October loading, a $14/mt increase from $178/mt FOB in September.

Sulfuric Acid

Brazil, Gulf Coast, Market Watch, Midwest, Sulfuric Acid, U.S. Gulf, West Coast

U.S. Gulf:

Gulf sulfuric acid pricing continued to be reported at $245-$250/mt CFR for the week, steady from the prior report.

Gulf Coast:

Gulf Coast 2021 contracts were quoted in the $85-$110/st DEL range.

Midwest:

Midwest tons were heard at parity with the Gulf Coast at $85-$110/st DEL for annual agreements.

West Coast:

Sources put current-year West Coast pricing at $100-$130/st DEL.

Brazil:

Rising treatment charges (TC/RCs) paid by miners to smelters helped to spark an increase in global smelter operations in September, Reuters reported. Worldwide production was seen increasing even as government curbs on smelting were imposed on China, part of that country’s ongoing energy crisis.

The rising TC/RCs were noted combining with soaring prices in both the sulfuric acid and metals markets to incentivize running an increased number of potlines. Sources hoped a resulting supply increase could help tame the exploding sulacid market, which has shown little interest in slowing down in recent months.

Further increases were noted in the Brazil spot import market, with sources noting last-done firming to the $260-$265/mt CFR range, up from $250-$255/mt CFR at last report.

Ammonium Thiosulfate

Amthio, California, Eastern Cornbelt, Market Watch, Pacific N.W., Specialty, Western Canada, Western Cornbelt

Eastern Cornbelt:

The ammonium thiosulfate market remained at $395-$430/st FOB in the Eastern Cornbelt, with the low reported for the last offers at Terre Haute, Ind., and the high for prompt tons FOB Cincinnati.

Western Cornbelt:

The ammonium thiosulfate market was pegged at $375-$400/st FOB in the Western Cornbelt, with the low reported at Waterloo, Iowa, for the last prepay business.

California:

Sources quoted limited ammonium thiosulfate offers at the $337/st FOB level in California, up $10/st from last report.

Pacific Northwest:

The ammonium thiosulfate market was up roughly $35/st in the Pacific Northwest, to $365/st FOB and $370-$390/st DEL in mid-October.

Western Canada:

No current pricing was reported for ammonium thiosulfate in Western Canada.

Calcium Ammonium Nitrate

Benelux, Calcium Ammonium Nitrate, California, CAN-17, Germany, Market Watch, Pacific N.W., Specialty

California:

The CAN-17 market firmed to a solid $340-$350/st FOB in California, with the low at Stockton and the high at inland warehouses in the Central Valley. The market FOB West Sacramento was pegged at the $345/st FOB level.

Pacific Northwest:

CAN-17 pricing was quoted at $375/st FOB Kennewick, up $65/st from last report.

Germany/Benelux:

Yara on Oct. 11 announced new prices for December deliveries of CAN-27 (YaraBelaNitromag) in Germany and Benelux. The new levels were posted at €600/mt bulk CIF for Germany and €610/mt bulk CIF for Benelux, marking increases of €132/mt and €142/mt, respectively, over Yara’s November delivery prices posted last week (GM Oct. 8, p. 18).

Yara has also announced new list prices for December deliveries of its YaraBelaSulfan product to Germany and Benelux. The new prices are €610.50/mt bulk CIF for Germany and €622/mt bulk CIF for Benelux.

Sulfate of Potash

California, Iran, Market Watch, Pacific N.W., Specialty, Sulfate of Potash

California:

The SOP market was reported in a broad range at $760-$840/st FOB in California, up $65-$85/st from last report, with the low reported for the last offers FOB Chico and the high reflecting new pricing for contracted tons FOB Stockton. Sources reported allocations and “great difficulty” in sourcing product and shipments at mid-month, however.

Pacific Northwest:

The SOP market edged up to $700-$730/st DEL or FOB in the Pacific Northwest.

Iran:

Agricultural Support Services Co. (ASSC) closed a tender for the supply of 2 x 40,000 mt of granular SOP on Oct. 11 (GM Oct. 8, p. 19).