Europe Gasoline/Naphtha-Cracks slip as economic worries threaten fuel demand

Kitco Media
By Reuters
Published:
Updated:
Reuters
Feb 22 (Reuters) - Northwest European gasoline refining margins slipped slightly to around $13.74 a barrel on Wednesday on concerns economic turbulence could hit fuel demand, but upcoming refinery maintenance provided a floor for prices.
* Oil prices fell by $2 per barrel on Wednesday as investors grew more worried that recent economic data will encourage more aggressive interest rate hikes by central banks, pressuring economic growth and fuel demand.
* Russia plans to reduce crude oil exports from its western ports in March by some 25% from February amid a planned production cut, three sources in the Russian oil market said.
* European gasoline output rose 4.5% in January on the month and 3.1% on the year, according to Euroilstock data. Naphtha production fell 2.2% on the month but rose 2.3% on the year.
* Overall, European refiners produced 10.253 million barrels per day (bpd) of oil products in January, 1.7% more than the previous month and up 6.6% from a year earlier, Euroilstock data showed.
* Germany's Schwedt refinery, whose majority owner Rosneft Deutschland has been put under trusteeship by the government, will undergo major maintenance in spring that will lower utilisation to less than half.
* The outage coincides with works at oil major Shell's Pernis refinery in Rotterdam from the start of March to the end of May.
* In northwestern Europe, gasoline stocks were stable near highs last seen in August as exports to the United States continue at a low level, according to Dutch consultancy Insights Global. Trades Bids Offers Prev. Sellers Buyers (vol.) Trades
Ebob
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E5
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Ebob $785-$7 Assessed Gunvor Exxon, Barges 95 at Shell, Argus (10KT) $806.00 Mabanaft E5(fob , BP AR)
Ebob $788.25 $795 Totsa, Varo, Barges -$800.5 (3KT) Shell, Exxon E10 0 (6KT) P66
Argus
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March $774.25 $796
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Ebob crack (per barrel) $13.736 Prev. $14.075 Brent futures Rbob Rbob crack (Reporting by Noah Browning; Editing by Kirsten Donovan)

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