Tampa:
The BP Husky Toledo Refinery near Toledo, Ohio, shut down on Sept. 20 following a fire that killed two people, local news outlets reported. Genscape reported the fire as originating from the plant’s 120,000 barrel/d Crude Unit 1 crude distillation unit (CDU), starting at 5:50 p.m. on Sept. 20. Elevated flaring was observed from the site prior to the fire on Sept. 20.
BP in August announced a plan to sell its 50% stake in the 160,000 barrel/d Toledo facility to joint-venture partner Cenovus.
Genscape observed activity levels returning to normal on Sept. 15 at the 255,000 barrel/d Pipestill 12 CDU at BP’s Whiting, Ind., refinery. The facility suffered widespread unit shutdowns following an Aug. 24 electrical fire.
Tampa molten sulfur contracts were valued at $352/lt CFR for the third quarter, off $129/lt from the prior period’s $481/lt CFR contract. Players are anticipating significant price declines in the upcoming fourth-quarter contract.
Refinery utilization in the US lifted for the week, according to the Energy Information Administration (EIA) on Sept. 21. Capacity utilization was pegged at a combined 93.6% for the week ending Sept. 16, up 2.1 points from 91.5% in the prior report. The rate remained ahead of both the year-ago 87.5% and the 88.5% five-year average.
Daily crude inputs also moved higher, rising to an average 16.355 million barrels/d, a 333,000 barrel/d increase from 16.022 million barrels/d reported previously.
US Gulf:
Phillips 66 restarted a 206,000 barrel/d CDU and a 71,000 barrel/d hydrocracker on Sept. 19 at the company’s Sweeny, Texas, refinery, Genscape reported. The units were reported going offline on Sept. 14.
Marathon on Sept. 17 successfully restarted a 114,000 barrel/d hydrocracker at its Garyville, La., refinery. The unit was reported shutting two days earlier, on Sept. 15.
Based on recent price increases at Brazil, indications on sulfur cargoes loading from the US Gulf were heard firming to the $80-$95/mt FOB range, an increase from $75/mt FOB reported previously.
Brazil:
While a previously rumored $140/mt CFR transaction failed to materialize during the week, sources reported the sale of a Brazil-bound cargo out of the Middle East, priced at $85/mt FOB. With freight costs pegged in the $33-$35/mt range, delivered pricing was quoted at $118-$120/CFR Brazil, rising from $105-$110/mt CFR at last report.
Vancouver:
Recent Vancouver levels continued to be heard in the $95-$100/mt FOB range, unmoved from one week earlier.
Alberta:
Alberta sulfur was indicated netting back in the $25-$282/mt FOB range, steady from the prior report.
West Coast:
Price indications on solid sulfur loading from the West Coast persisted at $95-$100/mt FOB through the week. Third-quarter molten contracts were reported at $370-$385/lt FOB, off $5/lt from $375-$390/lt FOB in 2Q.
China:
Recent sulfur imports at China were heard at $135-$140/mt CFR, above the last reported $125-$140/mt CFR range.
ADNOC:
Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. (ADNOC) solid sulfur offers were noted at $92/mt FOB Ruwais for September loading, up $7/mt from August’s reported $85/mt FOB level.
Qatar:
Muntajat posted September prill offers at $89/mt FOB Ras Laffan, up $12/mt from the prior period’s $77/mt FOB level.