Argus European Products
Argus European Products
Argus European Products
CONTENTS
625
Gasoline 1
600 Middle distillates 2
Fuel oil and VGO 3
575 Bunkers 4
News 7-10
Announcements 8,10
550
Deals done 11
Month-to-date averages 12
525 Swaps 13
2 Oct 17 31 Oct 17 29 Nov 17 2 Jan 18 Freight 14
Vitol’s was the only bid against Ice gasoil. The firm was Northwest Europe fuel oil and VGO $/t
Low High ±
seeking a cargo for delivery during 12-21 January at a $40/t
premium to January gasoil. The cargo premium to the fu- fob
Fuel oil 1%S 366.75 370.75 +4.75
tures contract rose by 50¢/t to $40.50/t to reflect the higher
Fuel oil 3.5%S 346.00 350.00 +3.50
bid. Fuel oil straight-run 0.5%S 447.25 450.75 -0.25
In the barge market, there was a single bid and single Fuel oil straight-run 0.5%S* $/bl -1.00 -0.50 nc
VGO 0.5%S 489.25 492.75 -0.38
offer which emerged either side of the prevailing assessment
VGO 0.5%* $/bl +4.75 +5.25 nc
of a $37/t premium to Ice January gasoil. The barge assess- VGO 2.0%S 472.25 475.50 -0.25
ment remained unchanged. Shell was looking to buy 2,000- VGO 2.0%* $/bl +3.00 +3.50 nc
cif
3,000t fob FARAG loading 9-13 January at a $36/t premium
Fuel oil 1%S 376.00 380.00 +4.75
to January gasoil, while CCMA offered the same-sized barge Fuel oil 3.5%S 360.75 364.75 +3.50
fob ARA loading 5-13 January at a $41/t premium to January Fuel oil straight-run M-100 375.50 378.50 +3.50
gasoil. Fuel oil straight-run M-100† +13.50 +16.50 nc
VGO 0.5%S 491.00 494.50 -0.25
In the Mediterranean region, Malta's state-run fuel dis- VGO 0.5%* $/bl +5.00 +5.50 nc
tributor Enemed issued a tender to buy 87,500-92,500t of jet VGO 2.0%S 473.75 477.25 -0.25
fuel through five 17,500-18,500t shipments between Febru- VGO 2.0%* $/bl +3.25 +3.75 nc
barge
ary and August. The Mediterranean is currently well-supplied Fuel oil 1%S 364.50 368.50 +3.50
with jet fuel, while demand remains subdued. Fuel oil 3.5%S RMG 360.00 364.00 +3.50
In shipping news, two vessels were provisionally booked Fuel oil VWA 362.00 +3.50
3.5%S RMK 357.00 +3.50
to take jet fuel to northwest Europe from Sikka. Vitol
3.5%S RMK diff to RMG -5.00 nc
chartered the SKS Douro to load 90,000t on 11 January, and VGO 0.5%S 489.25 492.75 -0.38
Total chartered the Pike to ship 60,000t on 3 January. Shell VGO 0.5%* $/bl +4.75 +5.25 nc
VGO 2.0%S 472.25 475.50 -0.25
provisionally chartered the Ugale to take 37,000t of jet fuel
VGO 2.0%* $/bl +3.00 +3.50 nc
to Gavle, Sweden from the ARA hub on 8 January. * differential to Brent crude futures ($/bl) †premium to barge VWA
ary gasoil futures fell by $3.25/t from the previous trading Bunkers $/t
Low High ±
day. UK and German grade diesel premiums to Ice January
gasoil fell by 75¢/t in line with the move in January swaps Rotterdam dob
and in the absence of fresh bids and offers. Premiums to the 180cst 3.5%S 391.00 396.00 +4.00
futures contract were assessed at 75¢/t and $1/t, respec- 380cst 3.5%S 359.50 364.50 +1.00
tively. MGO 581.00 586.00 +3.00
An unspecified production unit at BP's 82,000 b/d Lingen
Antwerp dob
refinery in northwest Germany restarted on 28 December af-
180cst 3.5%S 395.00 400.00 +8.00
ter a shutdown. Production of middle distillates and gasoline
380cst 3.5%S 360.00 365.00 +1.00
at the refinery were limited in the last two weeks of Decem-
MGO 580.00 585.00 nc
ber, but the reductions did not lead to significant shortages
because of muted demand from end-users. Gasoline premium to naphtha cif NWE $/t
In the Mediterranean, diesel premiums to Ice January Naphtha cif NWE = 0
90
gasoil remained unchanged at $3.25/t as bids and offers re-
mained either side of the prevailing assessment. There were 80
five offers against a single bid. 70
60
Diesel and heating oil barges
50
Northwest European gasoil barge prices fell on Tuesday as
a $3.25/t decline in Ice January gasoil offset rises in the 40
50ppm sulphur heating oil and diesel barge markets. 30
In the diesel barge market, Glencore sold Vitol a 2,800t 20
and 3,000t barge at 50¢/t discounts to Ice January gasoil
10
loading 5-9 January fob ARA. The diesel barge discount to
2 Oct 17 31 Oct 17 29 Nov 17 2 Jan 18
Ice January gasoil narrowed by 50¢/t to reflect the deals.
In the 50ppm gasoil barge market, Vitol bought two
3,000t barges at $5.50/t discounts to Ice January gasoil fob Argus MTBE and High-Octane
ARA. Glencore sold one loading 5-9 January, while Belgo- Components (Russian)
mine sold the other loading 9-13 January. The assessed Weekly report —
discount to Ice January gasoil narrowed by $1/t to reflect MTBE, TAME and N-methylaniline in Russia and CIS —
prices and analysis
the deals.
There were no deals in the 0.1pc heating oil barge mar-
ket, but bids from Shell and Glencore and offers from Trafig- Market Reporting
Singapore, also carrying 270,000t of fuel oil. Exporters are High-sulphur fuel oil barges VWA $/t
taking advantage of favourable economics for shipping fuel
370
oil to the east. Demand in Asia is expected to pick up in the
first quarter of 2018, while freight costs remain comparative- 360
ly cheap with rates for a VLCC last reported at around $3mn.
350
No new fixtures on the route from Rotterdam to Asia-
Pacific emerged on Tuesday. 340
Elsewhere, Azerbaijan’s Socar provisionally chartered 330
the Ridgebury Lindy B to ship 130,000t of what is likely to
be fuel oil from the Lithuanian port of Klaipeda to Fujairah, 320
French diesel cargo $/t Jet premium to heating oil cif NWE $/t
620 Heating oil cif NWE = 0
65
600 60
55
580
50
560 45
540 40
35
520
30
500 25
2 Oct 17 31 Oct 17 29 Nov 17 2 Jan 18 2 Oct 17 31 Oct 17 29 Nov 17 2 Jan 18
News
Nigerian product imports rose in October Mostorod's new units ready by year-end
Nigerian oil product imports and refinery output rose sub- A new complex at Egypt’s 142,000 b/d Mostorod refinery
stantially in October from September, according to state-run near Cairo is set to be on stream this year, oil minister Tarek
NNPC. el-Molla said.
NNPC gasoline imports via the direct sale-direct purchase Cairo Petroleum is investing $3.7bn in new units, includ-
(DSDP) crude-for-product swap mechanism rose to a seven- ing a hydrocracker, which converts fuel oil into lighter prod-
month high of 300,000 b/d, from 186,000 b/d in September. ucts such as diesel and jet fuel. The complex was originally
Gasoline output from Nigeria's refineries rose to a four- scheduled to come on stream last year.
month high of 29,000 b/d, buoyed by a higher run rate at El-Molla added that the second phase of the 100,000 b/d
the 210,000 b/d Port Harcourt and the restart of crude Midor refinery’s expansion in Alexandria will be completed
runs at the 125,000 b/d Warri. Refinery utilisation rose to a this year to increase the production capacity of petroleum
five-month high of 17.6pc of nameplate capacity, although products. The first phase of expansion, which was complet-
the 110,000 b/d Kaduna refinery remained shut for a fifth ed last year, increased production capacity of high-octane
straight month. gasoline, diesel, butane, jet fuel, coal and sulphur by 15
NNPC subsidiary PPMC's gasoline sales slowed to 228,000 percent.
b/d in October, from 244,000 b/d in the previous month. A $1.4bn project to complete the upgrade and expansion
NNPC allocated around 190,000 b/d of crude for the of Midor’s capacity to 160,000 b/d has been delayed by at
DSDP programme in September, down from 274,000 b/d in least another 18 months to the end of 2020.
August. October data were not yet available.
Nigerian crude and condensate production was 1.93mn Unit restarted at BP Lingen refinery
b/d in September, according to NNPC, around 6pc lower An unspecified production unit at BP's 82,000 b/d Lingen re-
than August's 1.99mn b/d. The number of theft and vandal- finery in northwest Germany has restarted after a shutdown.
ism incidents on Nigeria's pipeline system rose to a 12-month Production at the plant had returned to normal as of 28
high of 126 in October, up by 80pc from September and up December, a BP spokesman said. The unit was taken offline
by 25pc from a year earlier. after an exterior part heated up on 16-17 December.
Nigeria has been experiencing oil product shortages Spot volumes of middle distillates and gasoline at the re-
since at least early December, particularly for gasoline. finery were limited in the last two weeks of December, but
NNPC said on 27 December it expects to supply around the reductions did not lead to significant shortages because
40mn l/d to the domestic market in January, compared with of muted demand from end consumers.
around 30mn l/d normally.
Nigeria primarily sources gasoline from Europe, from Shell to keep hold of Danish refinery
where export interest to west Africa has been robust in Shell has terminated a deal to sell its Danish refining busi-
December. Provisional and confirmed spot tanker bookings ness to local firm Dansk Olieselskab. It has not said why the
of December-loading European gasoline with west African sale is being cancelled.
discharge options rose to 1.55mn t — the highest since June. Shell agreed to sell the business — comprising the 70,000
Most west Africa-bound European gasoline is destined for b/d Fredericia refinery, and local trading and supply activi-
Nigeria. ties — for $80mn in September 2016.
Announcement
News
The proposed divestment was part of a wider retreat stoppages at US Gulf coast refiners resulted in rising gasoline
from Europe's downstream sector. Shell sold downstream cracks and higher profitability for diesel production.
assets in Italy, Norway and the Czech Republic in 2014-15. It Mol said in August that refinery margins would probably
completed a $300mn deal to sell its Danish marketing opera- average "at the top" of its $5-6/bl forecast range for 2018. It
tions to Canadian convenience store company Alimentation has reiterated its group refining margin forecast at $4-5/bl
Couche-Tard in May 2016. for 2018-21.
The deal's termination will have no effect on Shell's tar- Mol's integrated petrochemical margin rose slightly in De-
get to sell $30bn of assets globally in 2016-18. The company cember, to €400.8/t ($480.9/t) from €399.7/t in November.
has completed around $23bn of deals since the start of 2016, The firm said its petrochemical margin indicates "market
with a further $7bn agreed or "in advanced progress". price fluctuations predominantly between high- and low-
density polyethylene and polypropylene over naphtha based
Malta's Enemed seeks jet fuel upon the product yields" of its Hungarian and Slovakian
Malta's state-owned fuel distributor Enemed has issued a petrochemical operations.
tender to buy 87,500-92,500t of jet fuel through five 17,500- Mol runs four refineries in Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia,
18,500t shipments between February and August. with a combined capacity of 423,000 b/d.
The cargoes are to be delivered to Malta on or around Middle distillates account for 45.6pc of yields implied for
the tentative dates of February, April, May, July and August. Mol's group refining margin, gasoline for 19.4pc, black prod-
The jet A-1 purchased under the contract will be delivered ucts accounts 10.9pc, own consumption and losses for 9.9pc,
on a cif basis at Has Saptan in Marsaxlokk Harbour. Offers naphtha for 8.7pc and gases and chemical products for
must be submitted by 16 January at 10:00 CET. 5.5pc. Margin calculations are based on weighted Solomon
refinery yields and contain costs of purchased energy.
Mol margins at 16-month low in December
Hungarian integrated oil firm Mol's refining margins fell in Saudi Arabia raises gasoline, diesel prices
December for a third consecutive month, to the lowest since Saudi Arabia has increased domestic gasoline and diesel
August 2016. prices for the first time in two years, in an attempt to curb
Mol's group refinery margin declined to $4.40/bl in De- demand growth and ensure sustainable consumption.
cember, from $5.80/bl in November. The quarterly average The government has raised the price of 91 Ron gasoline
group margin fell to $5.70/bl in October-December from by 83pc to 1.37 riyal/litre (36¢/l) and 95 Ron gasoline by
$7.30/bl in the previous quarter. 126pc to SR2.04/l, effective 1 January.
Mol's separate margin that only includes its Hungarian Prices of diesel for use in industry and by utilities have
and Slovakian operations decreased to $5.10/bl in December, been increased slightly to SR0.378/l from SR0.33/l, but
also a level last seen in August 2016, from $6.40/bl in No- remained unchanged for transport use at SR0.47/l. Kerosine
vember. This margin averaged $6.40/bl in the fourth quarter, prices are also unchanged at SR0.64/l.
down from $8.0/bl in July-September. The higher gasoline and diesel prices include a value
Refining margins fell in December because of lower mo- added tax of 5pc, which also took effect on 1 January and
tor fuel cracks, "especially in the case of gasoline", and a covers a wide range of goods and services.
narrow Urals-Brent price differential, Mol said. The purpose of the increase in gasoline and diesel prices
A third factor driving margins down was the increase of is to “reduce the accelerating growth in domestic consump-
Mol's consumption costs as crude prices rose, the company tion of energy products in the kingdom, and to ensure the
said.
The average price of Mol's benchmark crude increased Subscriber notice
to $64.20/bl in December from $62.60/bl in November, Mol Argus will delay any formal consultation and subsequent
said. The quarterly average price rose to $61.40/bl in the decision on switching the volume-weighted average of
fourth quarter, from $52.10/bl in July-September. The last oxy grade barge trades to a non-oxy quality until the
time the quarterly average price stood above $60.0/bl was extent of the roll-out of E-10 gasoline across Europe
in April-June 2015. becomes clearer. Argus will formally consult with stake-
Mol's annual average group margin rose to $6.50/bl holders and give at least 12 months’ notice before any
in 2017, the highest in the past five years, thanks to the such change is made.
record-high margins in September when hurricane-enforced
optimum use of national natural resources and their sustain- at the RFCC in mid-August. The shutdowns led Dalian to miss
ability,” state-owned news agency SPA said. its 2017 crude throughput target of 300,000 b/d averaged
Yesterday’s price increase is the second in two years. over the whole year.
The first price hike, part of a drive to gradually eliminate The refinery is likely to keep run rates at around 80pc for
generous government subsidies, was announced at the start the next couple of months, boosting oil product supply com-
of 2016 and affected a wider range of refined products as pared to the previous four months. And PetroChina is likely
well as electricity tariffs. to export more diesel and gasoline in the first quarter as a
But the government announced in its budget statement result. The firm has won a 517,000 b/d product export quota
last month that it would slow the pace of eliminating sub- for January-March, up by 47pc from a year earlier, compris-
sidies, as well as postpone its goal of achieving a balanced ing 334,000 b/d of gasoline, 153,000 b/d of diesel and 30,000
budget by three years to 2023. The aim of the delay is to b/d of jet fuel.
ensure the domestic economy does not suffer.
Riyadh also last month announced increases to electric- Analysis: Indian LPG demand to slow
ity tariffs ahead of revealing its planned budget for 2018, Indian LPG demand growth could slow this year, after rising
which has increased the government’s capital expenditure to prices undercut a state-sponsored distribution programme
record levels in a bid to lift the economy out of recession. aimed at poorer users.
Saudi Arabia cut down on spending in 2016 and 2017 in LPG demand has increased on a year-on-year basis for
an attempt to reduce its budget deficit following the fall in 51 consecutive months to November. Consumption has been
crude prices from their mid-2014 highs of over $100/bl. But boosted by lower prices and the government's drive to ex-
austerity affected the country’s economic growth, causing it pand use of the fuel in villages and small towns through its
to fall into recession. Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) scheme, which aims
to add 50mn LPG connections to poor households over three
PetroChina restarts Dalian refinery units years starting from the April 2016 to March 2017 fiscal year.
Chinese state-controlled energy firm PetroChina's flagship But demand growth has failed to keep pace with distribu-
410,000 b/d Dalian refinery has raised run rates after re- tion. The government released 33.1mn new LPG connections
starting units that were shut since a fire in August. in 2016-17, with at least another 21.5mn new connections
The refinery restarted three units — a 25,000 b/d (1.4mn added from 1 April to 18 December, including those under
t/yr) residue fluid catalytic cracker (RFCC), 120,000 b/d the PMUY scheme.
crude unit and 14,500 b/d (600,000 t/yr) catalytic reformer The more than 54mn connections added since the PMUY
— on 28 December, and reached on-specification production scheme was implemented in May 2016 include over 32mn
a day later. connections to poor households as of 4 December since May
The restarts will enable the Dalian refinery to increase 2016. But these households typically earn less than $2/d,
run rates to 80pc this month from 66pc previously. making it hard for them to afford refills. They have to repay
PetroChina plans to run 330,000 b/d of crude at Dalian in at least 1,500 rupees ($23.5) towards the cost of installing
January, up from the 270,000 b/d that it has processed since cylinders under the scheme, a big expense for poorer users.
September, after shutting down the units as a result of a fire LPG refills were previously supplied at subsidised rates,
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deals done
Gasoline (barges)
Seller Buyer Loading from Loading to Price $ Volume t Notes
Middle distillates
Delivery
Grade Seller Buyer Location Price $ Volume t Notes
mode
optional volume:
Gasoil French diesel NWE Vitol Mercuria cif Le Havre Platts () -2.25 27,000
0-6kt
Subscribers to this report via Argus Direct or My Argus may access the database here.
fob fob
95R gasoline 10ppm 616.75 617.25 620.25 620.75 Fuel oil 1%S 366.75 370.75 374.75 378.75
91R gasoline 600.00 600.50 - - Fuel oil 3.5%S 346.00 350.00 356.50 360.50
Naphtha 65 Para - - 573.25 574.25 Fuel oil straight-run 0.5%S 447.25 450.75 - -
cif VGO 0.5%S 489.25 492.75 - -
95R gasoline 10ppm 627.75 628.25 631.00 631.50 VGO 2.0%S 472.25 475.50 - -
91R gasoline 611.75 612.25 - - cif
Naphtha 65 Para 592.00 593.00 584.00 585.00 Fuel oil 1%S 376.00 380.00 383.25 387.25
barge Fuel oil 3.5%S 360.75 364.75 365.00 369.00
98R gasoline 688.50 689.00 - - VGO 0.5%S 491.00 494.50 - -
95R gasoline 10ppm 615.50 616.00 - - VGO 2.0%S 473.75 477.25 - -
Eurobob oxy 611.75 612.25 - - barge
Eurobob non-oxy 617.00 617.50 - - Fuel oil 1%S 364.50 368.50 - -
91R gasoline 611.75 612.25 - - Fuel oil 3.5%S RMG 360.00 364.00 - -
MTBE 685.25 685.75 - - Fuel oil VWA - 362.00 - -
ETBE 880.25 880.75 - - Fuel oil 3.5%S RMK - 357.00 - -
Naphtha 65 Para 590.00 591.00 - - VGO 0.5%S 489.25 492.75 - -
cif
Argus European Products Methodology
Jet 637.00 638.00 636.00 637.00
Heating oil 0.1%S 594.25 595.25 597.50 598.50 Methodology can be found at: Contents:
Methodology overview 2
www.argusmedia.com/methodology.
Naphtha and gasoline 6
Northwest Europe 6
Cargoes 6
Barges 6
barge
West Mediterranean 10
Fuel oil and VGO 11
info@argusmedia.com, but
West Mediterranean 13
Swaps
Jet cif NWE premium to Ice gasoil $/t Low-sulphur fuel oil $/t
Low High ± Low High ±
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