據天然氣加工網站3月8日消息 2020年，根據美國能源信息署（EIA）石油供應月報，美國丙烷出口量達到創紀錄水平，增長13%，超過餾分燃料油，成為美國最大的石油產品出口。美國餾分燃料油出口降至2016年以來的最低水平。

丙烷出口的增長是由亞洲強勁的石化和取暖需求推動，而這一年美國產量增加、消費減少。美國在一年的頭幾個月和最后幾個月都經歷了比正常取暖季節更溫暖的氣候，導致國內丙烷消費量低于前兩年。

盡管2020年美國天然氣和原油產量下降，但天然氣加工廠的丙烷產量比2019年增長了5.6%，超過了煉油廠丙烷產量的下降。2020年，美國76%的丙烷由天然氣處理廠生產，其余24%由煉油廠生產。

美國以外的丙烷產量下降，因為沙特阿拉伯和俄羅斯等主要出口國由于原油減產而減少了丙烷產量，這些國家的丙烷產量大多與原油有關。美國出口能力的擴大，加上國內生產的增加和國內消費的降低，使美國得以填補供應缺口，占領更大的全球市場份額。美國的出口能力在2020年下半年平均增長33萬桶/天。

相比之下，通常占美國石油產品出口最大份額的餾分燃料油出口在2020年有所下降。美國2020年5月的餾分油出口量為73.3萬桶/日，是2011年6月以來的最低水平，主要原因是全球需求減少。與丙烷需求和產量不同，今年剩余時間的餾分油需求和產量仍然相對較低。

2020年第四季度，美國餾分油出口也相對較低，當時丙烷出口處于最高水平。由于歐洲餾分油價格較低，美國煉油廠在全球餾分油市場上的競爭可能加劇。第四季度，歐洲餾分油的現貨價格平均比美國紐約港餾分油價格低12美分/加侖，而前三季度則低7美分/加侖。

吳恒磊 編譯自 天然氣加工

原文如下：

The U.S. exported more propane than distillate in 2020

In 2020, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) Petroleum Supply Monthly, U.S. exports of propane reached record levels, increasing 13% and surpassing distillate fuel oil as the country’s top petroleum product export. U.S. exports of distillate fuel oil fell to its lowest level since 2016.

The increase in propane exports was driven by strong petrochemical and heating demand in Asia during a year of more U.S. production and less U.S. consumption. The United States experienced warmer-than-normal heating seasons in both the first and final months of the year, resulting in lower domestic propane consumption than in the previous two years.

Although natural gas and crude oil production fell in the United States during 2020, propane production at natural gas processing plants increased 5.6% from 2019, which more than outweighed the decline in refinery production of propane. In 2020, 76% of U.S. propane was produced at natural gas processing plants; the remaining 24% was produced at petroleum refineries.

Propane production outside of the United States decreased because major exporters such as Saudi Arabia and Russia reduced their propane production as a result of crude oil curtailments; most propane production in these countries is associated with crude oil. Expanded U.S. export capacity, along with increased domestic production and lower domestic consumption, allowed the United States to fill the supply gap and capture greater global market share. U.S. export capacity grew by an average of 330,000 barrels per day (b/d) during the second half of 2020.

In contrast, distillate fuel oil exports, which usually account for the largest share of U.S. petroleum product exports, decreased in 2020. U.S. distillate exports of 733,000 b/d in May 2020 were the lowest for any month since June 2011, mostly because of less global demand. Distillate demand and production remained relatively low for the remainder of the year, unlike propane demand and production.

U.S. distillate exports were also relatively low in the fourth quarter of 2020, when propane exports were at their highest. U.S. refiners may have faced increased competition in world distillate markets as a result of less expensive distillate from Europe. Spot prices for distillate from Europe were, on average, 12 cents per gallon (cents/gal) lower than U.S. New York Harbor distillate prices in the fourth quarter, compared with 7 cents/gal lower in the first three quarters.