壳牌关闭菲律宾炼厂并将其改造为进口终端

    中国石化新闻网讯 据海事新闻8月13日消息称，分析师称，壳牌菲律宾分公司周二表示，将永久关闭该国两家炼油厂中的一家，并原因是疫情导致利润率下降，此外，该公司还可能关闭其它地区的炼油厂。

    菲律宾壳牌石油公司表示，其位于菲律宾巴坦加斯省的日产量为11万桶的Tabangao设施于1962年开始运营，在经济上不再可行，将被改造为一个进口终端。

    新加坡综合炼油利润率是衡量亚洲炼油厂盈利能力的指标，自3月份以来，该利润率大多为负值，这促使许多炼油厂削减产量或暂时关闭业务。

    FGE顾问Mia Geng表示：“我们肯定认为，未来6-12个月，亚洲有可能关闭更多炼油厂。”他补充说，日本、澳大利亚和新西兰的炼油厂可能会被关闭。

    Tabangao永久关闭之前，由于冠状病毒的封锁打击了石油需求，菲律宾的两家炼油厂都停止了运营。

    菲律宾壳牌公司总裁兼首席执行官Cesar Romero在一份声明中表示：“由于新冠肺炎疫情对全球、地区和地方经济的影响，以及该地区石油供需不平衡，我们运营炼油厂在经济上已不再可行。”

    当地另一家炼油厂Petron Corp位于巴丹省，日产量为18万桶。自5月份以来，Petron一直在按计划进行检修。

    能源部长Alfonso Cusi试图缓解外界对菲律宾国内燃料供应的担忧。他说，预计菲律宾壳牌公司将通过进口成品油来填补市场份额。

    但新加坡的一家汽油贸易商表示，进口可能不会很快发生。

    “我认为他们现在会进口更多的汽油。但由于疫情的再次发生，需求严重中断。”

    Wood Mackenzie研究主管Sushant Gupta在一份报告中表示，充满挑战的环境将给实力较弱的亚洲炼厂带来压力，尤其是那些位于成熟市场、或与石化行业很少或没有整合的炼油厂。

    曹海斌 摘译自 海事新闻

    原文如下：

    Shell to Shut Down Philippine Refinery and Turn It into Import Terminal

    The Philippine unit of Royal Dutch Shell said on Tuesday it will permanently shut one of the country's two oil refineries, blaming a pandemic-led slump in margins, with other regional closures likely to follow, according to analysts.

    Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp said its 110,000-barrel-per-day Tabangao facility in Batangas province, which began operations in 1962, was no longer economically viable and would be turned into an import terminal.

    Singapore's complex refining margin, the bellwether in measuring profitability at Asian refineries, has been mostly negative since March prompting many refiners to cut output or temporarily shutter operations.

    "We definitely see the possibility of more closures in Asia over the next 6-12 months," said Mia Geng, consultant at FGE, adding that refineries in Japan, Australia and New Zealand could be likely candidates for closure.

    The permanent closure of Tabangao comes after both of the Philippines' refineries halted operations as coronavirus lockdowns pummelled oil demand.

    "Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the global, regional and local economies, and the oil supply-demand imbalance in the region, it is no longer economically viable for us to run the refinery," Pilipinas Shell President and Chief Executive Officer Cesar Romero said in a statement.

    The other local refinery, Petron Corp's 180,000-bpd facility in Bataan province, has been on a scheduled turnaround since May for maintenance.

    Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi sought to allay concern over domestic fuel supply saying Pilipinas Shell is expected to fill its market share through imports of refined products.

    But a Singapore-based gasoil trader said that imports may not happen anytime soon.

    "I think they will import a bit more (gasoil) now. But demand is substantially disrupted due to the reoccurring COVID-19 situation."

    Wood Mackenzie research director Sushant Gupta said in a note the challenging environment would put pressure on weaker Asian refineries, particularly ones in mature markets, or with little or no integration with petrochemicals.