据路透社2023年4月21日报道，炼油企业和贸易消息人士称，由于两种燃料之间的价格差距扩大，几家亚洲石化生产企业计划在第二季度末将部分原料从石脑油转向更便宜的液化石油气(LPG)。

石化企业使用液化石油气的增加，可能打击亚洲炼油企业的石脑油利润率。石脑油用于生产塑料和服装等消费品。

自2月5日以来，从布伦特原油中提取石脑油的利润已经下降了大约51%，下降至每吨50.25美元，当时欧盟的制裁迫使石脑油供应从欧盟转移到亚洲。

交易商表示，液化石油气的价格比日本石脑油基准价格每吨低104至105美元。根据路透社基于Eikon公布的数据的计算，这一价格已从2月初对日本石脑油8美元的溢价下降。

石化生产企业通常只在油价比石脑油每吨至少便宜50美元时才购买现货。

能源咨询公司FGE在一份报告中表示，在4月早些时候冬季需求减弱后，液化石油气价格下跌幅度超过石脑油。去年，随着对能源贸易的制裁展开，液化石油气价格与天然气价格同步上涨。

每当价格较低时，亚洲的蒸汽裂解装置通常可以将10%至20%的石脑油转换为替代原料液化石油气。

一位石化企业的消息人士称，一家东印度裂解装置运营商也计划改用液化石油气，但没有给出时间表。

韩国一家石化生产企业的消息人士表示，该公司计划在夏季将液化石油气的使用量从冬季的10%提高到15%。

随着冬季取暖燃料需求的结束，亚洲从美国和中东进口的液化石油气也在增加。

Vortexa和Kpler公布的船舶跟踪数据显示，2月和3月美国对亚洲的月度液化石油气出口量增加至约260万至280万吨，比1月增加10万至20万吨。

数据显示，3月份亚洲来自中东的液化石油气供应已升至今年以来的最高水平，约为280万至340万吨。

李峻 编译自 油价网

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.