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Asia refining margins at most affordable seasonal levels since 2020 as supplies grow

Asian refiners' margins dropped to their most affordable seasonal levels given that 2020 this week as products of diesel and gasoline increased after peak summer season travel need ended, market authorities and analysts said on Friday.

Relentless weak margins could prompt refiners to trim their output, suppressing crude need in Asia, the area that contributes most to international oil need growth.

Asia has actually been cutting runs considering that May, 400,000-500,000. barrels daily, including China, said Amrita Sen, creator and. director of Research at consultancy Energy Aspects.

We've already included 300,000 bpd of run cuts for Q4. potentially another 100,000 based upon where the margins are. today.

Complex refining margins in Singapore, the regional. bellwether, slumped to $1.62 a barrel today, LSEG data. showed, with the average in the very first week of September down 68%. from the exact same period last month. << DUB-SIN-REF >

Margins are at the lowest seasonal level because 2020,. slipping into a trough earlier than usual, as U.S. summer season. fuel intake disappointed while China's economic. slowdown moistened demand.

Asia's diesel margins are hovering near 18-month lows while. the cash discounts for 10ppm sulphur gasoil have hit a near. four-year low in the middle of a widening in contango in its market. structure.

Trigger costs are lower than those in future months in a. contango market, signaling adequate supply.

Diesel need in Europe is quite bad in the meantime, Formosa. Petrochemical's spokesperson KY Lin informed Reuters.

Northeast Asian refineries are pushed by high stocks. as their oil has nowhere else to go, except local. destinations such as Singapore and Australia, he included.

Since June, traders have been moving record volume of diesel. on very-large crude providers from Asia to the west, adding to. rising inventories in Europe.

In China, evident diesel demand is down 3% in the very first. seven months this year, stated Victor Yang, senior analyst at. Chinese consultancy JLC. This follows top refiners Sinopec. and PetroChina reported a 6.8% and a 3.2% year-on-year drop in. first-half sales, he added.

Sales in September and October, which are generally peak. diesel intake months in China, may also disappoint, he. stated.

For fuel, prices in Asia slipped to their least expensive in. three years this week with fractures hovering at their least expensive since. October, LSEG data revealed.

Gasoline costs came under pressure from a switch to winter season. grade in the United States, and as Nigeria's new Dangote. refinery has actually started producing the motor fuel, Lin stated.

An enhancement in naphtha margins and robust demand for Really. Low Sulphur Fuel Oil (VLSFO) are providing some assistance for. refiners' margins, he included.

Formosa is slowly reducing operating rates at its. refinery ahead of a scheduled upkeep in mid-September, Lin. said. Its refinery is processing 420,000-430,000 barrels daily. of crude this week, compared to 440,000-450,000 bpd in August,. he included.

An official at a South Korean refiner it is putting in place. a versatile production strategy with the objective of supplying steady. supply to fulfill increased heating oil and jet fuel demand in. fourth quarter.

(source: Reuters)