Tampa:
Genscape reported the June 4 restart of a 190,000 barrel/d DU-2 crude distillation unit (CDU) at the Phillips 66 Wood River, Ill., refinery. The unit had been reported offline since March 7 for maintenance.
The second-quarter Tampa molten sulfur price was contracted at $481/lt CFR, a $199/lt increase from the first-quarter’s $282/lt level.
U.S. refinery capacity lifted to 94.2% for the week ending June 3, above the prior week’s 92.6% rate, according to data released by the Energy Information Administration (EIA). The current rate continued to top both the year-ago 91.3% and the 89.4% five-year average.
Crude inputs were also higher for the week, climbing to an average 16.387 million barrels/d, a 354,000 barrels/d increase from the previous week’s 16.033 million barrels/d rate.
U.S. Gulf:
ExxonMobil Corp. shut down the 225,000 barrel/d Pipestill 10 crude section on June 7, Genscape reported. It was not immediately clear if the shutdown was planned.
A 55,000 barrel/d hydrocracker was restarted on June 5 at the Valero Meraux, La., refinery, Genscape reported. The unit was originally shut on Feb. 20, while all other monitored units were taken offline for maintenance on March 30. A 50,000 barrel/d vacuum distillation unit (VDU) continued to show signs of a ramp-up on June 4. A fire with multiple injuries was reported at the facility on April 23.
Increased activity levels were reported from multiple units at the Calcasieu Lake Charles, La., refinery on June 7. The facility suffered a widespread, multiunit shutdown on May 25.
Despite a furnace stack shutdown reported on the morning of June 4 at the TotalEnergies refinery in Port Arthur, Texas, no accompanying unit outages were reported. A temporary compressor shutdown triggered by inclement weather was blamed for the furnace stack going offline.
The planned permanent shutdown of the LyondellBasell Ind. refinery at Houston, Texas, currently scheduled for Dec. 31, 2023, could be accelerated should the 263,000 barrel/d plant experience a major unit malfunction, such as damage from a hurricane, Reuters reported. The plant’s high elevation relative to other Houston-area refineries allowed the facility to operate through Hurricane Harvey in 2017.
Sources reported the sale of a 13,000 mt sulfur cargo from the U.S. Gulf during the week. The material was priced at $475/mt FOB. Market players continued to quote the Gulf sulfur market in the $470-$480/mt FOB range, unmoved from the prior report.
Brazil:
Last-done import tons sold into Brazil were unchanged at $520-$525/mt CFR, steady from week-ago levels. Second-quarter contract values were noted in the $480-$485/mt CFR range.
Vancouver:
Recent Vancouver export levels held steady in the $475-$480/mt FOB range, players said.
Alberta:
Genscape noted restarted operations of the 48,000 barrel/d RHC 3 hydrocracker and an integrated 65,000 barrel/d hydrotreater at the Shell Scotford Upgrader in Alberta on the morning of June 7, following signs of increasing activity observed since May 30. The units were noted offline since March 15 as part of a planned turnaround.
Alberta sulfur netbacks were reportedly holding at $366-$411/mt FOB through the week. The range included both molten tons contracted into the U.S. and prilled material selling offshore through the Vancouver export market.
West Coast:
Genscape noted a 23,000 barrel/d hydrocracker shutting down on the morning of June 4 at the Phillips 66 Rodeo, Calif., refinery.
West Coast solid sulfur values continued to be heard in line with Vancouver at $475-$480/mt FOB, steady from the prior report. Contracts for molten sulfur loading from West Coast locations were quoted in the $375-$390/lt FOB range for the second-quarter. Agreements were reported at $230-$245/lt FOB in Q1.
China:
China spot import cargoes continued to be heard at $520-$525/mt CFR, steady from the previous week.
ADNOC:
June ADNOC prill offers reportedly firmed to $480/mt FOB Ruwais, a $10/mt increase from $470/mt FOB in May.
Qatar:
Muntajat prills were called $490/mt FOB Ras Laffan for June loading, rising $30/mt from $460/mt FOB posted for the prior month.