Tampa:
Q4 Tampa molten contracts were reported at $183/lt CFR, a decline of $12/lt from $195/lt CFR in the previous quarter.
Refinery operating rates pushed higher for the week, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported. Utilization climbed to 89.8 percent of capacity for the period ending Dec. 3, a 1.0-point increase from 88.8 percent in the prior week. The current rate led the year-ago 79.9 percent while matching the 89.8 percent five-year average.
Crude inputs were also shifted higher, notching an average 15.785 million barrels/d through the period, a 154,000 barrel/d decrease from 15.631 million barrels/d recorded one week earlier.
U.S. Gulf:
Genscape reported the Dec. 4 shutdowns of a 275,000 barrel/d crude distillation unit (CDU) and an 83,000 barrel/d vacuum distillation unit (VDU) at the Flint Hills Corpus Christi West, Texas, refinery. Both units were noted entering a restart phase on Dec. 7.
A 40,000 barrel/d CDU at Valero’s Corpus Christi West plant was observed going offline for roughly eight hours on Dec. 4. Valero suffered a total facility shutdown at McKee, Texas, on Dec. 5, including a 130,000 barrel/d CDU, a 53,000 barrel/d VDU, a 54,000 barrel/d fluidic catalytic cracking unit (FCC), and numerous other units. The CDU and VDU were noted returning to operation on Dec. 6, while the FCC was restarted on Dec. 7.
A hydrocracker shut on Nov. 26 due to a malfunction at the Motiva plant in Port Arthur, Texas, showed increased activity on Dec. 5, although the unit remained shy of normal operating levels. Normal activity was fully restored on Dec. 7.
A 250,000 barrel/d CDU and a 66,000 barrel/d ULSD hydrotreater that were shut on Nov. 1 at the Shell Norco, La., refinery began ramping up on Dec. 7, but remained shy of operable levels. The refinery has continued to slowly restart operations following a late-August shutdown ahead of Hurricane Ida.
A 66,000 barrel/d ULSD hydrotreater at the TotalEnergies facility in Port Arthur, Texas, was restarted on Dec. 7. The unit was taken offline on Sept. 12 for maintenance.
Most players continued to note Gulf export price ideas in the $230-$240/mt FOB range, unmoved from the prior report. Recent price increases reported from key international markets such as Brazil could push Gulf pricing higher, sources said, should new business conclude today.
Brazil:
Last-done on the Brazil import market was noted firming to the $295-$299/mt CFR range, an increase from $284.50-$295/mt CFR reported previously. A $296/mt CFR cargo that reportedly transacted on Dec. 3 was understood to originate from the Arab Gulf.
Fourth-quarter import contracts were typically pegged at $234/mt CFR, rising from $221-$223/mt CFR in the prior quarter.
Vancouver:
Easing logistics hurdles at Vancouver led to firming values, players said. Price ideas were typically quoted in the $230-$235/mt FOB range, lifting from $205-$210/mt FOB at last report.
Alberta:
With Vancouver prices shifting higher, netbacks to Alberta supplies firmed to the $68-$165/mt FOB range, up from $68-$140/mt FOB in the prior report. The wide spread included both molten tons contracted into the U.S. market and prilled material exported out of Vancouver.
West Coast:
Observed activity increases from a 32,000 barrel/d CDU at the Phillips 66 plant in Rodeo, Calif., fizzled on Dec. 1, Genscape reported on Dec. 3. Increases at the unit, offline since Feb. 10, had been ongoing since Nov. 30.
Prilled sulfur loading from the West Coast was indicated at $230-$235/mt FOB, above the last reported range of $205-$210/mt FOB.
Sources quoted molten sulfur contracts at $160-$170/lt FOB for loading in the fourth quarter.
China:
China sulfur import pricing was reported moving up for the week, with players calling last-done values in the $290-$295/mt CFR range, firming from the prior $265-$275/mt CFR. “(It) appears China is waking up and being more active at higher prices,” said one source.
ADNOC:
Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. offers for December were noted firming to $265/mt FOB Ruwais, a $35/st increase from November’s posting of $230/mt FOB.
Qatar:
Qatar formed sulfur offerings for December stood at $265/mt FOB Ras Laffan, sources said, up $39/mt from the previous month.
Kuwait:
Sources quoted sulfur vessels loading from Kuwait at $267/mt FOB, up $41/mt from $226/mt FOB in November.