Tampa:
Sources reported a quiet domestic sulfur market during the week. Fundamentals remained in a balanced-to-firm state, players indicated, with rising offshore values representing an attractive target for both US Gulf and Alberta producers that have prilling and export capacity.
The fourth-quarter contract price of molten sulfur delivered to Tampa was $90/lt CFR, down $262/lt from the prior period’s $352/lt CFR level.
Operable refining capacity moved higher for the week ending Nov. 4, according to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA). Refinery utilization was noted at 92.1% of capacity for the period, up from the prior week’s 90.6% and above both the year-ago 86.7% and the 85.9% five-year average.
Daily crude inputs were also higher, moving above the 16 million barrel/d mark for the first time since the week ending Sept. 16. Inputs for the period were noted at an average 16.089 million barrels/d, a 247,000 barrel/d increase from 15.842 million barrels/d published previously.
US Gulf:
Motiva Ent. on Nov. 8 began work to restart the second largest VPS-4 crude distillation unit at the company’s Port Arthur, Texas, refinery, Reuters reported, as well as a number of other units. Multiple components of the 626,000 barrel/d facility had been reported offline since Sept. 27 due to planned maintenance.
The 210,000 barrel/d CDU at the facility successfully returned to operation late on Nov. 8, according to Genscape, as did the 100,000 barrel/d VPS-4 vacuum distillation unit. Motiva is the nation’s largest refinery.
Price ideas in the US Gulf sulfur market were unchanged from the week-ago $150-$155/mt FOB.
Brazil:
Last-done at Brazil continued to be heard in the $185-$190/mt CFR range, unmoved from the prior report. Fourth-quarter contracts fell in the $119-$138/mt CFR range.
Vancouver:
Recent Vancouver values were reported at $145-$150/mt FOB, steady from the prior report.
Alberta:
Molten and prilled sulfur cargoes loading from Alberta were indicated netting back (-)25-$80/mt FOB to sellers, unchanged from the prior report.
West Coast:
West Coast solid sulfur pricing was indicated even with Vancouver at $145-$150/mt FOB, unchanged from last week. Players quoted fourth-quarter molten sulfur contracts at $75-$79/lt FOB, falling from $370-$385/lt FOB in the prior period.
China:
Last-done China spot values were called $180-$185/mt CFR, unchanged from the previous week.
ADNOC:
ADNOC solid sulfur was heard at $140/mt FOB Ruwais for November loading. The market was previously noted at $103/mt FOB, a $37/mt difference.
Qatar:
November prill offers from Muntajat were reported at $149/mt FOB Ras Laffan, a $45/mt increase from $104/mt FOB in October.