Oil Refiners Go From Profit Pain to Gain as Ship-Fuel Rules Near - Bloomberg

Oil Refiners Go From Profit Pain to Gain as Ship-Fuel Rules Near - Bloomberg:

The imminent overhaul of global ship-fuel regulations is finally delivering a long-awaited benefit to Asian oil refiners.

Profits from turning crude into diesel in the second half of 2019 are forecast to be about 31% higher than the first six months, according to Goldman Sachs Group Inc. Margins have already expanded around 40% since late April as International Maritime Organization rules that prohibit ships from using dirty fuel from Jan. 1 are set to bolster diesel demand, while cutting fuel oil use.

It’s taken a while though. In the first half of the year, margins were in freefall as a slew of refinery startups in Asia flooded the market and the trade war between Washington and Beijing weighed on demand. Refiners in China, South Korea and Taiwan were forced to reduce operating rates due to poor margins and a fuel glut. Output cuts from OPEC+ also squeezed the flow of heavier crude, raising the costs for many Asian buyers that rely on Middle Eastern oil.