Asian refiners edging out US competition
Rising decarbonisation costs make coastal US refiners vulnerable to expanding Asian export capacity
The closure of ageing refining capacity in recent years amid mounting competition and environmental compliance costs has left US coasts increasingly dependent on imported refined oil products. And export-oriented refineries are having to contend with escalating competition for traditional markets. Ballooning overcapacity East of Suez, where Asia will add 0.39mn bl/d of capacity in 2022 and Middle Eastern capacity will grow by 0.89mn bl/d year-on-year, means gasoline and diesel will be cheap enough to export to Latin America, the US west coast and West Africa. Gulf Coast diesel will also face stiff competition for a slice of the European market in the coming years. Naphtha remains a bright sp
Also in this section
28 March 2024
The country’s largest gas field is a bright spot for the North Sea, boasting cleaner operations amid a changing mood in Europe over hydrocarbons
28 March 2024
Whether OPEC+ starts to unwind its oil production cuts from June will depend on heavily debated unfolding supply-demand balances
28 March 2024
As a gas supply shortfall looms, balancing regulatory flexibility with energy security and investor confidence will be critical
27 March 2024
Oil producers have to untangle the increasingly complicated relationship with their natural resources