Latest News

Argus launches 3 estimate for Trans Mountain oil pipeline exports

Oil pricing agency Argus introduced on Wednesday 3 day-to-day price quotes for crude exported from western Canada's recently expanded Trans Mountain ( TMX) pipeline in the middle of rising demand for the oil from Asia.

The firm will evaluate costs of unrefined loaded from the TMX pipeline onto Aframax-sized tankers efficient in carrying 80,000 metric loads (584,000 barrels) of oil at Vancouver's Westridge docks, Argus said in a statement.

The brand-new rates will cover three types of heavy unrefined grades, it added.

The very first two groups - crude of comparable quality to Cold Lake with lower level of acidity and crude that looks like Access Western Blend ( AWB) with high acidity - are priced on free-on-board Vancouver basis. The 3rd group consists of crude with high acidity priced on a delivered to Zhejiang, China, basis.

Between May 20 and Aug. 20, about half of the more than 300,000 barrels daily crude exported from Vancouver went to Asia with the balance going to the U.S. west coast, mainly to California, Argus said, pointing out Kpler data.

Asian demand for heavy petroleum is strong, Argus stated, keeping in mind that Chinese purchasers have become primary lifters of TMX crude over the first couple of months of operation.

A big percentage of the high TAN unrefined grades from the TMX being shipped to the Pacific Location Lightering zone (FRIEND), off the coast of southern California, and moved onto Large Crude Carriers which then relocate to Asia, it added.

The majority of the VLCCs headed to China while a couple have moved to India, Argus stated.

(source: Reuters)