Tampa:
Tampa molten sulfur contracts were reported at $282/lt CFR for the first quarter, a $99/lt increase from $183/lt CFR in Q4 2021. The market’s second largest sulfur buyer reported settling molten contracts with suppliers at $282/lt CFR during the week, matching levels set by Tampa’s largest consumer in the prior report.
U.S. refinery utilization moved lower for the period ending Jan. 7, according to the Energy Information Administration. Refineries ran at a combined 88.4 percent of capacity for the week, down 1.4 percentage points from 89.8 percent in the prior period. The current rate led the year-ago 82.0 percent, while trailing the 90.8 percent five-year average.
Daily crude inputs also fell, slipping to an average 15.573 million barrels/d, down 294,000 barrels/d from the prior week’s 15.867 million barrels/d.
U.S. Imports:
July-November sulfur imports were noted at 1.42 million st, falling 10.5 percent from the year-ago 1.58 million st. November imports were up 33.3 percent, to 365,285 st from the prior-year 274,044 st.
U.S. Exports:
Sulfur exports for November firmed 139.4 percent, to 179,717 st from last year’s 75,079 st. July-November shipments moved 29.3 percent higher, to about 620,037 st from 479,671 st in the prior year.
U.S. Gulf:
The 280,000 barrel/d Pipestill 3A crude distillation unit (CDU) at Marathon’s 593,000 barrel/d Galveston Bay, Texas, refinery was successfully restarted on Jan. 10, Genscape reported. The unit was reported shutting down on Jan. 4 due to a fire. A 145,000 barrel/d fluidic catalytic cracking unit (FCC) taken offline on Jan. 8 remained shut on Jan. 11.
Motiva’s Port Arthur, Texas, refinery suffered a shutdown of the 85,000 barrel/d VPS-2 CDU on Jan. 10. Other units monitored at the facility remained online, Genscape reported.
Recent sulfur pricing out of the U.S. Gulf continued to be noted in a $250-$255/mt FOB range, steady from the prior report.
Brazil:
Brazil spot pricing continued in the $327-$340/st FOB range for the week, with most reported activity landing toward the lower end of the spread.
With international spot values firming to historic levels in recent weeks, buyers in Brazil were reportedly refraining from entering into first-quarter supply contracts, opting instead to rely on the spot market in meeting immediate needs. Fourth-quarter 2021 agreements were quoted at $234/mt CFR.
Vancouver:
Sources called the Vancouver export market steady at $255-$260/mt FOB. An improving logistics landscape was projected to favor rising prices in the next round of business.
Alberta:
Alberta netbacks continued to be indicated in the $167-$190/mt FOB range, unchanged from the prior report.
West Coast:
Activity increases were observed from multiple units at the HollyFrontier Puget Sound, Wash., refinery starting on Jan. 9, Genscape reported. Among the units showing renewed activity were a 149,000 barrel/d CDU; a sulfur recovery unit; a 66,000 barrel/d vacuum distillation unit (VDU); a 58,000 barrel/d FCC; and a 50,000 barrel/d hydrotreater. All units at the facility were reported shutting on Dec. 26 due to extreme winter weather in the region.
West Coast prills were indicated on par with Vancouver at $255-$260/mt FOB.
Sources quoted molten sulfur contracts in the $230-$245/lt FOB range for first-quarter delivery, increasing from $160-$170/lt FOB in the prior period.
China:
China spot import pricing continued to hold in the $315-$320/mt CFR range for the week, sources said.
ADNOC:
ADNOC solid sulfur was posted at $300/mt FOB Ruwais for January loading, up $35/mt from $265/mt FOB in December.
Qatar:
January Muntajat offers stood at $301/mt FOB Ras Laffan, sources said. December tons were offered at $265/mt FOB, a $36/mt FOB difference.
Kuwait:
Cargoes loading from Kuwait were heard at $300/mt FOB, a $33/mt increase from $267/mt FOB in December.