Refnery Problems22 May 2024 08:13
NEW YORK, May 21 (Reuters) - Cash differentials for RBOB gasoline surged on Tuesday after a refinery that has faced operational issues in recent days bid higher for supplies, traders said.
Exxon purchased around 10,000 barrels of Chicago RBOB in the session at a premium of a dollar over the RBOB gasoline futures benchmark on the New York Mercantile Exchange, market participants said. Chicago RBOB traded 30 cents above benchmark in the previous session, and 18 cents above benchmark on Friday.
The surge in Chicago's RBOB differentials follows reports of upsets at multiple refineries in the region. Refiners typically have contractual obligations to supply a certain quantity of products in each trading cycle, so production outages can force them to buy from spot markets to meet the commitments.
Exxon's 250,000 barrel per day Joliet refinery in Illinois has faced multiple issues, including a fire on May 18, since it attempted to restart operations last week following the end of scheduled maintenance.
The Midwest's largest refinery, BP's 435,000 bpd Whiting plant in Indiana, also experienced flaring events on Sunday and Monday, market sources said this week. Refineries typically use their safety flare system when hydrocarbons cannot be normally processed due to start-ups, planned shutdowns or unplanned events at the facility.