Shell’s refining margins jump above $10/bl
The major’s downstream economics are almost 300pc improved year-on-year
The oil price may have soared in the first quarter of 2022, but even greater strength in products markets saw Shell’s indicative refining margin leap to $10.23/bl. Its products trading and optimisation results are also expected to be “significantly higher” than in the fourth quarter of 2021 when the firm reports Q1 results in early May. The firm’s refining margin was $6.55/bl in Q4, meaning it has boosted economics by 56pc quarter-on-quarter (see Fig.1). But, as pandemic restrictions continued to bite savagely, the Q1 2021 marker was as low as $2.65/bl, giving Shell a 286pc year-on-year improvement. Shell did not report an indicative refining margin prior to 2021. Refinery utilisation is exp
Also in this section
21 November 2024
E&P company is charting its own course through the transition, with a highly focused natural gas portfolio, early action on its own emissions and the development of a major carbon storage project
21 November 2024
Maintaining a competitive edge means the transformation must maximise oil resources as well as make strategic moves with critical minerals