據路透社2023年4月21日報道，煉油企業和貿易消息人士稱，由于兩種燃料之間的價格差距擴大，幾家亞洲石化生產企業計劃在第二季度末將部分原料從石腦油轉向更便宜的液化石油氣(LPG)。

石化企業使用液化石油氣的增加，可能打擊亞洲煉油企業的石腦油利潤率。石腦油用于生產塑料和服裝等消費品。

自2月5日以來，從布倫特原油中提取石腦油的利潤已經下降了大約51%，下降至每噸50.25美元，當時歐盟的制裁迫使石腦油供應從歐盟轉移到亞洲。

交易商表示，液化石油氣的價格比日本石腦油基準價格每噸低104至105美元。根據路透社基于Eikon公布的數據的計算，這一價格已從2月初對日本石腦油8美元的溢價下降。

石化生產企業通常只在油價比石腦油每噸至少便宜50美元時才購買現貨。

能源咨詢公司FGE在一份報告中表示，在4月早些時候冬季需求減弱后，液化石油氣價格下跌幅度超過石腦油。去年，隨著對能源貿易的制裁展開，液化石油氣價格與天然氣價格同步上漲。

每當價格較低時，亞洲的蒸汽裂解裝置通常可以將10%至20%的石腦油轉換為替代原料液化石油氣。

一位石化企業的消息人士稱，一家東印度裂解裝置運營商也計劃改用液化石油氣，但沒有給出時間表。

韓國一家石化生產企業的消息人士表示，該公司計劃在夏季將液化石油氣的使用量從冬季的10%提高到15%。

隨著冬季取暖燃料需求的結束，亞洲從美國和中東進口的液化石油氣也在增加。

Vortexa和Kpler公布的船舶跟蹤數據顯示，2月和3月美國對亞洲的月度液化石油氣出口量增加至約260萬至280萬噸，比1月增加10萬至20萬噸。

數據顯示，3月份亞洲來自中東的液化石油氣供應已升至今年以來的最高水平，約為280萬至340萬噸。

李峻 編譯自 油價網

原文如下：

Asia petchem producers plan to switch to LPG after price slump

Several Asian petrochemical producers plan to switch a portion of their feedstock from naphtha to cheaper liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) late in the second quarter as the price gap between the two fuels has widened, refinery and trade sources said.

A rise in LPG use by petrochemical units could hit Asian refiners' margins for naphtha, which is used to make consumer goods including plastics and clothing.

Profits from making naphtha from Brent crude have already dropped by about 51% to $50.25 a ton since Feb. 5, when European Union sanctions forced it divert naphtha supplies from the EU to Asia.

The price of the LPG cargoes was $104-105 per ton below the Japan naphtha benchmark price, traders said. That has dropped from a premium of $8 to Japan naphtha in early February, according to Reuters calculations based on Eikon data.

Petchem makers typically buy spot cargoes only when prices are at least $50 a ton cheaper than naphtha.

LPG prices, which rose in tandem with natural gas last year as sanctions on energy trade unfolded, collapsed more than naphtha after winter demand waned earlier this month, consultancy FGE said in a note.

Steam crackers in Asia can typically switch between 10% and 20% of naphtha to alternative feedstock LPG whenever prices are low.

An east Indian cracker operator is also planning to switch to LPG, a company source said, without giving a timeline.

A source at a South Korean petrochemical producer said his company plans to boost LPG use to 15% during summer, up from 10% use in winter months.

Asia is also receiving more LPG from the U.S. and the Middle East as winter demand for the heating fuel has passed.

Monthly U.S. LPG exports to Asia in February and March rose to around 2.6 million-2.8 million tons, up 100,000-200,000 tons from January, ship-tracking data from Vortexa and Kpler showed.

March supplies from Middle East have risen to the highest level so far this year at about 2.8 million-3.4 million tons in March, the data showed.