Metor pauses Venezuela methanol production

Market: Natural gas, Petrochemicals
31/07/20

Mitsubishi-operated Metanol de Oriente (Metor) in eastern Venezuela has suspended methanol production as a health precaution.

The 750,000 t/yr Metor 1 plant will close from today through 15 August, and the 850,000 t/yr Metor 2 plant will close on 4-18 August.

Only strictly necessary workers will be allowed on site during this period, according to a company human resources notice seen by Argus.

Metor declined to comment.

Metor, located in the Jose oil and petrochemical complex, is one of the few industrial plants that continues to operate in Venezuela.

Mitsubishi and Mitsubishi Gas Chemical each hold 23.75pc stakes in Metor. Venezuela's state-owned Pequiven holds 37.5pc and International Petrochemical Holdings has 10pc. The International Finance Corporation (IFC), an arm of the World Bank, holds 1pc, and the remaining 4pc is treasury stock.

Italy's Eni has a 50pc stake in a separate methanol plant at Jose, Supermetanol, which is closed for maintenance. The other 50pc of the plant is owned by Pequiven.

By Patricia Garip

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31/12/24

Viewpoint: US maintenance to limit EO, derivatives

Houston, 31 December (Argus) — Multiple ethylene oxide (EO) and derivative turnarounds may limit US supply in the first half of 2025. At least six producers of EO and derivatives are expected to be down for maintenance in February-June. Some are just two weeks while others are 30-45 days. Most US EO producers are integrated to produce derivatives such as monoethylene glycol (MEG), diethylene glycol (DEG) and triethylene glycol (TEG). This dynamic has market participants anticipating the derivatives will feel the supply squeeze in the first half of the year. The producers with planned maintenance have the capacity to produce over 3mn metric tonnes (t) of ethylene glycol during the five months of turnarounds, according to Argus data. These supply limitations are expected to tighten the spot market more than the contracted volumes, as the US is a typically a net exporter of MEG, DEG and TEG. Any delays in restarts or unplanned outages could quickly change the US ethylene glycol supply picture. Additionally, multiple steam-cracker maintenance projects are planned for the first quarter of 2025, which will limit supply of feedstock ethylene and likely raise feedstock costs in the short term. Some market participants see the US entering the heavy turnaround season at minimum inventories. The US is still rebuilding stocks of EO derivatives such as MEG, DEG and TEG after constraints in September and October tightened supply. Some planned and several unplanned outages occurred in September that were not resolved until mid-October. During this time, spot supply was harder to find but seasonal demand was starting to slow, according to market participants. Despite these supply constraints, exports of MEG rose by 32pc to 312,800t in September compared to a year earlier. The US exported 317,900t of MEG in October, a 53pc increase on the year. Overlapping turnarounds in the first half of 2025 could slow exports as the US is typically a net exporter of MEG, DEG and TEG. Market participants anticipate first-quarter demand to be similar to the last three months of the year with the addition of some restocking activity. By Catherine Rabe Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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Viewpoint: US Supreme Court tees up more energy cases

31/12/24

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31/12/24

Viewpoint: US Supreme Court tees up more energy cases

Washington, 31 December (Argus) — The US Supreme Court is on track for another term that could significantly affect the energy sector, with rulings anticipated in the new year that could narrow environmental reviews and challenge California's authority to set its own tailpipe standards. The Supreme Court earlier this month held arguments in Seven County Infrastructure Coalition v Eagle County, Colorado , a case in which the justices are being asked to decide whether federal rail regulators adequately studied the environmental effects of a proposed 88-mile railway that would transport 80,000 b/d of crude. A lower court last year found the review, prepared under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), should have analyzed how building the project would affect drilling and refining. Business groups want the Supreme Court to issue an expansive ruling that would limit NEPA reviews only to "proximate" effects, such as how rail traffic could affect nearby wildlife, rather than reviewing distance effects. The court recently agreed to hear a separate case that could restrict California's unique authority under the Clean Air Act to issue its own greenhouse gas regulations for newly sold cars and pickup trucks that are more stringent than federal standards. Oil refiners and biofuel producers in that case, Diamond Alternative Energy v EPA , say they should have "standing" to advance a lawsuit challenging those standards — even though they could now show prevailing in the case would change fuel demand — based on the alleged "coercive and predictable effects of regulation on third parties". These two cases, likely to be decided by the end of June, follow on the heels of the court's blockbuster decision in June overturning the decades-old "Chevron deference", a foundation for administration law that had given federal agencies greater flexibility when writing regulations. Last term, the court also limited agency enforcement powers and halted a rule targeting cross-state air pollution sources. This term's cases are unlikely to have as far-reaching consequences for the energy sector as overturning Chevron. But industry officials hope the two pending cases will provide clarity on issues that have been problematic for developers, including the scope of federal environmental reviews and the ability of industry to win legal "standing" to bring lawsuits. Two other cases could have significant effects for the oil sector, if the court agrees to consider them at a conference set for 10 January. Utah has a pending complaint before the court designed to force the US to dispose of 18.5mn acres of "unappropriated" federal land in the state, including oil-producing acreage. Utah argues that indefinitely retaining the land — which covers about a third of Utah — is unconstitutional. In another pending case, Sunoco and other oil companies have asked for a ruling that could halt a series of lawsuits filed against them in state courts for alleged damages from greenhouse gas emissions. President-elect Donald Trump's re-election could create complications for cases pending before the Supreme Court, if the incoming administration adopts new legal positions. Trump plans to nominate John Sauer, who successfully represented Trump in his presidential immunity case, as his solicitor general before the Supreme Court. By Chris Knight Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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Viewpoint: European BD to face tighter supply in 2025

30/12/24

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30/12/24

Viewpoint: European BD to face tighter supply in 2025

Houston, 30 December (Argus) — European butadiene (BD) supply is expected to tighten next year, according to market participants, because of scheduled steam-cracker closures and steady demand. European domestic demand this year helped spot prices maintain a 5-7pc premium to the monthly contract price (MCP) until December, when spot prices fell to parity with the MCP. But the lower BD MCP in December protected Europe's position as the lowest cost region after three consecutive price rollovers, even as US and Asian prices fell. Market sentiment is cautiously optimistic on consumer demand for early 2025. One producer noted that interest for spot volumes remains strong into early next year and export sales should remain resilient, especially once buying interest picks up after the Lunar New Year. European BD exports — which primarily flow to the Asia-Pacific region with one-offs to the US— were stable at nearly one shipment per month from April-December, although they were down from the prior year. Europe's BD exports totaled about 109,700 metric tonnes (t) so far this year, but there are ongoing discussions for one additional long-haul shipment loading in late December. That said, the spread between Europe and the US is forecast to remain closer to parity, narrowing the premium European sellers have obtained from moving shipments eastward. Both planned and unplanned cracker turnarounds in the US may raise prices there and open space for Europe's coastal producers to periodically capture preferred access to Asian buyers, independent of logistical bottlenecks. Currency, crackers may pressure demand Currency fluctuations may dent buyers' confidence in the coming year as a stronger US dollar lifts costs for imports, affecting selling prices of European-origin exports in dollar terms. The outcome of the US presidential election rallied the dollar against the euro and other currencies, as markets price in expected tariffs from the new US administration. The comparative strength of the US economy also drove the rally. Strong European domestic demand could undercut potential BD exports as the region's supplies gradually transition from net-long to more balanced, with ongoing structural changes transforming Europe's chemical business. The closure this year of two steam crackers in France and the Netherlands along with the planned shut down of two more crackers in Italy will reduce regional supply of crude C4, a key BD feedstock. Buyers in Italy will need to rely more heavily on Mediterranean imports of crude C4 in tandem with BD to maintain derivative operations. Cracker operators next year are likely to keep throughput curbed while running lighter feedslates, limiting availability of additional volumes of crude C4 and BD. Rail logistical constraints will linger into 2025 with at least three BD consumers depending more on this mode of transportation. The European market could see additional restructuring next year, with at least one producer weighing a review of its asset portfolio. Market participants also are watchful for announcements of unexpected closures. BD producers in the region are also concerned about price volatility for natural gas, citing weaker margins. Dutch TTF on a day-ahead basis averaged €44.66/MWh month-to-date in December, rising by 27pc from the same period a year earlier at €35.24/MWh. Dutch TTF on a day-ahead basis reached a year-to-date peak on 21 November at €48.58/MWh. Higher natural gas prices are partially due to continued complications in gas transport and supply and to accelerated storage withdrawals. By Joshua Himelfarb Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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Viewpoint: Braskem eyes Brazil rebound

30/12/24

News

30/12/24

Viewpoint: Braskem eyes Brazil rebound

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Viewpoint: Permian waiting on new gas lines

30/12/24

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30/12/24

Viewpoint: Permian waiting on new gas lines

Houston, 30 December (Argus) — Natural gas prices in the Permian basin of west Texas and southeast New Mexico fell to historic lows in 2024, with increased takeaway out of the region likely not picking up before 2026. Gas in the Permian basin is fundamentally tied to crude economics, with associated gas being a byproduct of crude-directed drilling. US benchmark WTI values continued to boost crude output in 2024, with month-ahead Nymex WTI futures for delivery in 2024 averaging $76.20/bl, down from $78/bl in 2023, but still much higher than in previous years since 2014. As of the week ended 20 December, the Permian basin rig count stood at 304 rigs, down by only five rigs from the same time a year prior , according to oilfield service provider Baker Hughes. The vast majority of those rigs were crude-directed. Strong associated gas output has frequently pushed spot prices at the Waha hub in west Texas into negative territory since 2019. Waha prices held positive through 2021, helped in part by increased takeaway capacity, before turning negative in four trading sessions in 2022 and seven sessions in 2023. Negative Waha prices were a much more regular feature in 2024, with sellers needing to pay buyers to take Permian gas for about 47pc of the trading sessions throughout January-November. The Waha index fell to -$7.085/mmBtu on 29 August, a historic low. But prices averaged above $2/mmBtu from the middle of November into the first half of December , buoyed by seasonally stronger demand and the end of planned and unplanned maintenance on several Permian pipelines. Spot prices at the Waha hub returned below $1/mmBtu in the final full week of December, as unseasonably mild weather crimped demand. The January-March block for Waha was $2.235/mmBtu as of 27 December, according to Argus forward curves. Spot prices often have been negative despite growing export demand from the LNG sector and for pipeline flows to Mexico. Even excluding potential flows through the most recently commissioned 1.7 Bcf/d (17.6bn m³/yr) ADCC pipeline in south Texas, aggregate feedgas flows to US liquefaction facilities edged higher to 12.9 Bcf/d in January-November from 12.75 Bcf/d a year earlier. Pipeline exports to Mexico rose to 6.06 Bcf/d in January-September from 5.7 Bcf/d a year earlier, US Energy Information Administration (EIA) data show. Pipelines out of the Permian have typically taken little time to reach capacity, as was the case when US firm Kinder Morgan's Gulf Coast Express and Permian Highway pipelines opened in 2019 and 2020, respectively, and more recently in 2021 with the Whistler pipeline. Similarly, flows on the 2.5 Bcf/d Matterhorn Express Pipeline quickly ramped up in October after the line began taking on gas in September. Takeaway capacity out of the Permian is not planned to rise much further before 2026. Several large new pipelines remain under construction or in the planning stage, including the 2 Bcf/d Apex and 2.5 Bcf/d Blackcomb pipelines, both due to enter service in 2026. Oneok's 2.8 Bcf/d Saguaro Connector pipeline is not expected before 2027. Targa's proposed Apex Pipeline, which would link the Permian to the Port Arthur LNG project, remains under consideration. Oversupply led to output cuts in more gas-directed fields in the US in 2024, but Permian gas production has been immune to the low price environment. Low or negative prices at Waha may eventually spur output cuts in the oil-oriented Permian, but that would require WTI prices falling closer to breakeven. Permian producers need WTI to be at a minimum of $62/bl to profitably drill a new well, while the breakeven price for an existing well was $38/bl, according to an April survey by consumer data platform Statista. Producers such as Chevron do plan to curb spending in the region by as much as 10pc in 2025. Chief executive Mike Wirth noted in the company's third quarter 2024 earnings call that Permian "growth will become less the driver and free cash flow will become more of the driver". Yet Permian gas, which accounts for roughly a fifth of US output, is still set to rise to 26.1 Bcf/d in 2025 from a projected 24.8 Bcf/d in 2024, according to the US EIA's December Short-Term Energy Outlook . By David Haydon Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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