Diamond Green RD plant lacks power for restart

Market: Biofuels, Emissions, Oil products
02/09/21

Diamond Green Diesel cannot predict when it will restart the largest US renewable diesel (RD) plant until power cut by Hurricane Ida is restored.

The 19,000 b/d Norco, Louisiana, facility remained under "a thorough assessment" following Hurricane Ida, joint venture partner Darling Ingredients said.

"Power restoration is key to being able to comment further on when the plant could be restarted," the company said today.

Ida devastated electrical infrastructure in the New Orleans region when it roared ashore on 29 August with winds exceeding 150 mph (241 kph). The storm downed all eight of the region's major electrical transmission lines, knocking over 2,000 miles of electric transmission infrastructure. Service began returning to parts of New Orleans early yesterday, but officials warn it could take weeks to fully restore electricity to the region. Inundating rains meanwhile flooded homes, refineries and other sites along the Mississippi river.

Renewable Energy Group has not commented on the status of its roughly 5,000 b/d renewable diesel plant in Geismar, further west of New Orleans.

Diamond Green continues to work with suppliers, logistics services and utilities on assessments. Conditions must also improve for employees, who may still face power, water and sewer outages as well as their own personal property damage, the company added.

Renewable diesel is an increasingly lucrative fuel that moves seamlessly in existing petroleum infrastructure and can be used without limit by current vehicle fuel systems. The fuel generates credits needed to comply with US Renewable Fuel Standard mandates as well as low carbon fuel standards in California and Oregon.

Demand for the fuel has attracted refinery conversions that could drive up renewable diesel supplies over the next four years and drive down costs to comply with those regulatory programs.

By Elliott Blackburn

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03/04/25

CMA CGM LNG bunker demand up 78pc in 2024

New York, 3 April (Argus) — France-based shipping company CMA CGM increased its consumption of LNG for bunkering by 78pc in 2024 compared with 2023 as part of its efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The company consumed a total of 9.2mn tonnes (t) of marine fuel last year. LNG accounted for 10pc of total demand, or 962,200t of very low sulphur fuel oil equivalent (VLSFOe) up from 539,200t VLSFOe, or 7pc, in 2023. CMA CGM attributed the overall rise in marine fuel consumption to disruptions in the Red Sea, where geopolitical tensions forced its vessels to reroute around Africa via the Cape of Good Hope. The company has established LNG bunker supply partnerships with TotalEnergies and Shell, securing fuel at key ports including Singapore, Rotterdam in the Netherlands, Fos-sur-Mer in France, and Shanghai in China. CMA CGM has also invested in French firm Waga Energy, which produces biomethane from landfill gas. The company acknowledges methane slip — unburned methane emissions during combustion — is a key challenge with LNG. To mitigate this, CMA CGM has outfitted select vessels with systems that recirculate and combust leaked gas. It is also implementing high-pressure gas injection and is modifying engine intake valves to ensure more complete combustion. Looking ahead, CMA CGM plans to expand its dual-fuel fleet significantly by 2029. It will add 153 such vessels, including 129 that can run on LNG and 24 powered on methanol. In addition to LNG and methanol, CMA CGM is increasing its use of shore power. The number of its vessels equipped with shore-side electric power connections rose to 116 in 2024, representing 38pc of its owned fleet, up from 67 vessels (26pc) in 2023. CMA CGM also utilizes biofuels for bunkering, though demand declined to 50,900t in 2024, from 76,800t in 2023 and 99,800t in 2022, representing just 1pc of its total marine fuel use. In northwest Europe, LNG carried a $144/t premium over VLSFO, in March, with VLSFO averaging $485/t, according to Argus data. Bio-LNG and B30 biofuel there were priced at premiums of $396/t and $338/t, respectively. By Stefka Wechsler Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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Trump to 'stand firm' on tariffs as markets crash

03/04/25

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03/04/25

Trump to 'stand firm' on tariffs as markets crash

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Crude, equity markets tumble on US tariffs: Update

03/04/25

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03/04/25

Crude, equity markets tumble on US tariffs: Update

Updates prices, adds information on Opec decision. Houston, 3 April (Argus) — WTI and Brent crude futures were down by about 7pc midday Thursday as markets weighed the potential for large scale economic disruption from US President Donald Trump sweeping tariffs for a range of imports. Equity markets also fell sharply with the Nasdaq down by more than 5pc and the S&P 500 down by about 4pc as of 12:30pm ET. The US dollar was also falling, down by nearly 2pc to its lowest level since October. The front-month Nymex May WTI contract was trading at $66.65/bl, down by more than $5/bl as of 12:30pm ET. ICE Brent was trading at $69.98/bl, down by about $5/bl. All foreign imports into the US will be subject to a minimum 10pc tax with levels as high as 34pc for China under Trump's sweeping tariff measure. Trump has exempted many energy and mineral products from the new tariffs, and much of the trade with Canada and Mexico appears to be remaining governed by the US Mexico Canada trade agreement (USMCA). Oxford Economics said Thursday it is considering revising downward its 2025 global GDP growth estimate from 2.6pc to 2pc and 2026 growth may drop below 2pc. This is under the assumption that the Trump tariff's stick and are not rapidly negotiated to lower tariff levels. Latin American and Asian economies with exports to US are the most exposed to the GDP downgrades, Oxford said. Oxford also said that global recession will likely be avoided, despite the strains of the tariffs. The drop in crude prices also came after a core group of eight Opec+ crude producers in a surprise move sped up plans to gradually unwind some 2.2mn b/d of production cuts by upping output by 411,000 b/d in May. "In view of the continuing healthy market fundamentals and the positive market outlook… the eight participating countries will implement a production adjustment of 411,000 b/d equivalent to three monthly increments, in May 2025," said the group, which includes Saudi Arabia, Russia, UAE, Kuwait, Iraq, Algeria, Oman and Kazakhstan. The decision to increase output by 411,000 b/d in May will kick in with the start of the summer season in the northern hemisphere when oil demand typically picks up. Meanwhile, the EU is [preparing countermeasures](https://direct.argusmedia.com/newsandanalysis/article/2674492) against the new US tariffs. European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said the bloc is finalising a first package of countermeasures to previously-announced US tariffs on steel, preparing for further countermeasures and monitoring for any indirect effects US tariffs could have. China also promised to take unspecified countermeasures against the new US import tariffs, which will raise duties on its shipments to the country to over 50pc. By Eunice Bridges Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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Crude, equity markets tumble on US tariffs

03/04/25

News

03/04/25

Crude, equity markets tumble on US tariffs

Houston, 3 April (Argus) — WTI and Brent crude futures were down by more than 7pc early Thursday as markets weigh the potential for large scale economic disruption from US President Donald Trump sweeping tariffs for a range of imports. Equity markets also fell sharply with the Nasdaq down by nearly 5pc and the S&P 500 down by about 4pc as of 10:30am ET. The US dollar was also falling, down by more than 2pc this morning. The front-month Nymex May WTI contract was trading at $66.47/bl, down by more than $5/bl as of 11:35am ET. ICE Brent was trading at $69.81/bl, also down by more than $5/bl. All foreign imports into the US will be subject to a minimum 10pc tax with levels as high as 34pc for China under Trump's sweeping tariff measure. Trump has exempted many energy and mineral products from the new tariffs, and much of the trade with Canada and Mexico appears to be remaining governed by the US Mexico Canada (USMCA) trade agreement. Oxford Economics said Thursday it is considering revising downward its 2025 global GDP growth estimate from 2.6pc to 2pc and 2026 growth may drop below 2pc. This is under the assumption that the Trump tariff's stick and are not rapidly negotiated to lower tariff levels. Latin American and Asian economies with exports to US are the most exposed to the GDP downgrades, Oxford said. Oxford also said that global recession will likely be avoided, despite the strains of the tariffs. Meanwhile, the EU is preparing countermeasures against the tariffs. European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said the bloc is finalising a first package of countermeasures to previously-announced US tariffs on steel, preparing for further countermeasures and monitoring for any indirect effects US tariffs could have. China also promised to take unspecified countermeasures against the new US import tariffs, which will raise duties on its shipments to the country to over 50pc. By Eunice Bridges Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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Prio supplies B100 for bunkering in Portugal

03/04/25

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03/04/25

Prio supplies B100 for bunkering in Portugal

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