據(jù)路透社2023年4月21日?qǐng)?bào)道，煉油企業(yè)和貿(mào)易消息人士稱，由于兩種燃料之間的價(jià)格差距擴(kuò)大，幾家亞洲石化生產(chǎn)企業(yè)計(jì)劃在第二季度末將部分原料從石腦油轉(zhuǎn)向更便宜的液化石油氣(LPG)。

石化企業(yè)使用液化石油氣的增加，可能打擊亞洲煉油企業(yè)的石腦油利潤(rùn)率。石腦油用于生產(chǎn)塑料和服裝等消費(fèi)品。

自2月5日以來(lái)，從布倫特原油中提取石腦油的利潤(rùn)已經(jīng)下降了大約51%，下降至每噸50.25美元，當(dāng)時(shí)歐盟的制裁迫使石腦油供應(yīng)從歐盟轉(zhuǎn)移到亞洲。

交易商表示，液化石油氣的價(jià)格比日本石腦油基準(zhǔn)價(jià)格每噸低104至105美元。根據(jù)路透社基于Eikon公布的數(shù)據(jù)的計(jì)算，這一價(jià)格已從2月初對(duì)日本石腦油8美元的溢價(jià)下降。

石化生產(chǎn)企業(yè)通常只在油價(jià)比石腦油每噸至少便宜50美元時(shí)才購(gòu)買(mǎi)現(xiàn)貨。

能源咨詢公司FGE在一份報(bào)告中表示，在4月早些時(shí)候冬季需求減弱后，液化石油氣價(jià)格下跌幅度超過(guò)石腦油。去年，隨著對(duì)能源貿(mào)易的制裁展開(kāi)，液化石油氣價(jià)格與天然氣價(jià)格同步上漲。

每當(dāng)價(jià)格較低時(shí)，亞洲的蒸汽裂解裝置通常可以將10%至20%的石腦油轉(zhuǎn)換為替代原料液化石油氣。

一位石化企業(yè)的消息人士稱，一家東印度裂解裝置運(yùn)營(yíng)商也計(jì)劃改用液化石油氣，但沒(méi)有給出時(shí)間表。

韓國(guó)一家石化生產(chǎn)企業(yè)的消息人士表示，該公司計(jì)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(jié)束，亞洲從美國(guó)和中東進(jìn)口的液化石油氣也在增加。

Vortexa和Kpler公布的船舶跟蹤數(shù)據(jù)顯示，2月和3月美國(guó)對(duì)亞洲的月度液化石油氣出口量增加至約260萬(wàn)至280萬(wàn)噸，比1月增加10萬(wàn)至20萬(wàn)噸。

數(shù)據(jù)顯示，3月份亞洲來(lái)自中東的液化石油氣供應(yīng)已升至今年以來(lái)的最高水平，約為280萬(wàn)至340萬(wàn)噸。

李峻 編譯自 油價(jià)網(wǎng)

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.