This Driving Discussions episode looks at the colonial pipeline shutdown and the impacts to the transportation fuels market over the last few days.

O mercado brasileiro de biodiesel vive um momento de transição com o fim dos leilões previsto para janeiro de 2022. Junte-se a Alexandre Melo, repórter da publicação Argus Brasil Combustíveis, e Erasmo Battistella, presidente do ECB Group e da Associação dos Produtores de Biocombustíveis do Brasil (Aprobio). Eles conversam sobre a abertura do mercado de biodiesel e os planos de investimento do ECB Group. 

Links Relacionados

• Serviço diário: Argus Brasil Combustíveis

After India’s total oil sales just returned to pre-Covid-19 levels in March, preliminary data suggests that total April demand could have declined by 1mn b/d in response to the tragic deterioration in the county’s Covid-19 situation. 

In this episode of The Crude Report, Argus’ vice president Alejandro Barbajosa and head of forecasting Francis Osborne discuss the impact on India’s oil sector and how it may affect global crude oil and refined products markets more widely. 

In this, our second episode of the Petcoke Podcast with calciner Rain Carbon, Argus editor Lauren Masterson continues her discussion with Les Edwards, Vice President of Production Control and Technical Services, about the aluminium industry’s efforts to design an inert anode that could replace carbon anodes made from petcoke. 

Listen in as they discuss key innovations, challenges and the ongoing research and development needed as the industry moves towards a lower carbon future.  

President Joe Biden’s first 100 days in office have featured major economic and energy policy initiatives that aim to transform the environment in which oil, gas and renewable industries operate in the decades to come. During that time, many oil and gas companies have started to embrace once taboo ideas, such as a carbon tax. Conversely, on the international arena Biden has moved slower than expected in reviewing sanctions on Iran and Venezuela, but his virtual Climate Summit featured major announcements of emission cut pledges by the US and other countries. 

In this episode of The Crude Report, senior reporter Chris Knight and associate editor Haik Gugarats discuss the outcomes of Biden’s energy, climate and foreign policy priorities in his first 100 days in office and what to expect in coming months. 

In this edition of the From the Economist's Chair podcast series, David Fyfe, Argus' chief economist, is joined by Conor Browne, an independent consultant specialising in biosecurity. After beginning his career in epidemiology with the World Health Organisation, Conor then added a Master’s degree in security studies to his academic qualifications and has subsequently consulted for UNHCR, NATO, NGOs, government research institutions and commercial enterprises. Since the Covid-19 pandemic began he has focused on biosecurity, business continuity and forecasting for the energy sector. 

Looking at the commodity markets generally, after becoming rather becalmed in March, prices rebounded over the course of April, with unprecedented fiscal stimulus underway in a number of markets; and commodities are again being seen as a potential inflation hedge. There is even talk of a commodity super cycle in the air once more, but we are still living with the Covid-19 pandemic, which risks derailing economic recovery. For every positive macro indicator out there from China or the US, there remain offsetting concerns about resurgent Covid cases in parts of Europe, Latin America, and most recently in India. 

Conor provides an in-depth examination of the pandemic's progress to date, and also how policymakers might prepare for similar episodes in the future.

Conor Browne: contact details

Argus publishes a wide range of news and analysis exploring all corners of the energy transition: https://www.argusmedia.com/hubs/energy-transition

The closure of Inovyn’s Runcorn sulphuric acid plant has impacted the European market, while the tightness in supply is set to influence global prices in the longer term.

Join Meena Chauhan - Head of Sulphur and Sulphuric Acid Research, Siobhan Lismore-Scott - Editor, Sulphuric Acid and Tim Cheyne - VP, Fertilizers as they discuss trade, prices and the impact of supply disruptions on the market.

We start with a review of the global sulphuric acid price rally and its causes, the evolution of contract pricing in Europe – including Argus’ new NW European sulphur burning contract price – before moving on to the 2021 outlook for pricing in the global market. We then assess global market drivers in the mid to long-term, before moving on to the impact of Inovyn’s closure of the Runcorn plant and a global outlook for new capacity and associated risk factors. We review drivers of demand in the short, mid and long-term, with key insight on increasing demand from the metals sector. We end with an intriguing look at shifting trade flows.

Related Links

• Argus Sulphuric Acid Analytics

Saudi Aramco and Sabic jointly announced a new structure for their sales and marketing responsibilities on 29 April. Sabic will now be taking over polymer sales while Saudi Aramco will handle the sales of fuel products. Aramco will also transfer responsibilities for Malaysia’s PRefChem and South Korea-based S-Oil joint-ventures.

In this episode as a part of the Global Polymer Conversations, Argus VP Muhamad Fadhil and Middle East reporter Matt Rajendra discuss the implications of these latest updates on the market.

Related link

The Argus Polymers service gives you access to regional polyethylene, polypropylene and polyvinyl chloride contract and spot benchmarks, global industry news and analysis of key economic drivers on a weekly basis: https://www.argusmedia.com/petrochemicals/argus-polymers

In this episode of the Petcoke Podcast, Argus editor Lauren Masterson speaks to Les Edwards, Vice President of Production Control and Technical Services for Rain Carbon, about the shift towards lower carbon aluminium and its effects on petcoke markets. 

Much has been said about US president Joe Biden’s rejection of the Keystone XL project. The now-suspended project would have provided 830,000 b/d of pipeline capacity from Canada’s oil sands to the US midcontinent, but after years of delays, Canadian crude oil producers have been forced to seek other means of transportation. Crude-by-rail was an early outlet for incremental barrels, but other pipeline expansions are also underway.

In this episode of The Crude Report, our reporters Alex Endress and Brett Holmes discuss how the Canadian crude market has moved along despite Keystone XL and how Canadian crude prices are faring from Hardisty to the US Gulf coast.

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