Asia’s middle distillates markets stayed upbeat, with more May offers emerging from China’s refiners and cash differentials staying strong at three-month highs.
On the window, buying interest stayed upbeat though a lack of deals on a free-on-board Singapore basis was still evident like the previous trading sessions.
Cash differentials continued to stay firm at three-month highs of around 70 cents per barrel amid a lack of lower-priced offers.
Refining margins rebounded back to nearly a two-week high of $14.4 a barrel, as front-month market performance stayed robust amid bullish near-term outlooks from the supply front.
India exports for April are likely to be low at slightly more than 1 million metric tons, LSEG and Kpler shiptracking data showed.
For jet fuel, the arbitrage between Asia and the U.S. West Coast narrowed significantly through the course of the week and enquiries turned thin.
Spot deals in the past few trading sessions remained at discounts of 80 cents to $1 per barrel, with at least two cargoes being sold at such levels this week.
Regrade (JETREG10SGMc1) however narrowed to 75 cents per barrel, with front-month jet fuel markets still firming up.
SINGAPORE CASH DEALS
– One gasoil deal, no jet fuel deal
INVENTORIES
– U.S. crude oil stockpiles rose unexpectedly last week as imports jumped, while both gasoline and distillate inventories fell more than expected, the Energy Information Administration said on Wednesday.
– Singapore’s middle distillates stockpiles fell to their lowest since July 2024 as net exports of diesel/gasoil continued to increase, official data showed on Thursday.
REFINERY NEWS
– Indian Oil Corp IOC, the country’s top refiner, plans to operate its Gujarat refinery in western India at an expanded capacity of 360,000 barrels per day (bpd) by mid-2026, executive director Biplob Biswas said on Wednesday.
NEWS
– Investors are expecting top U.S. refiners to report quarterly losses, even as their margins improve, as they brace for the ripple effect from U.S. President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs, energy analysts said.
– Several OPEC+ members will suggest the group accelerates oil output hikes in June for a second consecutive month, three sources familiar with OPEC+ talks told Reuters, as a dispute worsens between members over compliance with production quotas.
– Some tankers Chevron had chartered to move crude from Venezuela to the U.S. this month are now being marketed for spot contracts elsewhere, sources said, after state company PDVSA canceled loading permits and ordered the firm to return cargoes amid payment uncertainty related to sanctions.
– Mexico exported the first cargo of ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD) reprocessed in its new Olmeca refinery in early April, according to tanker tracking data and a source, as infrastructure to transport the much-needed motor fuel across the country is not ready.
– India’s capital New Delhi plans to limit gasoline and diesel-powered cars a family can buy as well as ban sales of fuel-guzzling motorbikes and scooters, according to a draft policy aimed at cleaning up one of the world’s most polluted cities.
Source: Reuters