据烃加工网4月14日报道，业内消息人士和分析师表示，数家亚洲炼油商可能从5月起最大限度地提高汽油产量，并削减柴油产量，在夏季驾驶旺季到来之前，利用汽油利润上升获利。

此前，由于亚洲增加出口，柴油和航空燃油的供应增加，导致利润率大幅下降，而由于欧洲大陆供应充足，通往欧洲的套利窗口自2023年初以来一直被关闭。

与此同时，由于交易商在4月至9月季节性旅游需求增加之前增加供应，汽油利润出现反弹。

通过调整产量，亚洲供过于求的柴油市场可能再次收紧，并支撑价格。

印度一家炼油厂的消息人士表示，如果价差继续扩大，就有可能进行生产检修或短暂限产。

作为亚洲炼油利润率的风向标，新加坡综合炼油厂的利润率从3月份的平均7.56美元/桶下降了一半以上，至3.17美元/桶，为2022年10月以来的最低水平。

据业内消息人士称，亚洲炼油商在汽油和石脑油等轻馏分油和柴油和航空燃料等中馏分油之间的产量变化程度，受原料和催化剂原因的限制，平均估计在3%至5%之间。

尽管如此，贸易商称，炼油商仍在关注来自美国的强劲需求。美国是全球最大的汽油消费国，目前汽油和混合油的库存短缺。

一位驻新加坡的blendstock经纪商表示，尽管美国炼油厂在第一季维修后提高了产量，但仍需要进口。

更多的石脑油、石化产品

汽油产量的增加通常伴随着石脑油的增加，石脑油可以用作汽油的混合原料，也可以用于生产乙烯和丙烯(用于塑料)。

数据分析公司Vortexa亚太区分析主管Serena Huang表示，考虑增加FCC运行量的炼油厂需要评估整体利润率的提升，因为除了汽油外，更高的设施运行量将生产更多的丙烯。并补充道，塑料原材料丙烯的利润率目前很低。

根据Refinitiv数据显示，东北亚炼油厂自去年9月以来已将柴油日产量提高至500万桶以上，此前该产品的利润率飙升至创纪录的每桶71.69美元。

另一方面，根据数据显示，1月汽油产量反弹至400万桶/日以上。

郝芬 译自 烃加工网

原文如下：

Asian refiners to raise gasoline output, cut diesel to ease oversupply

Several Asian refiners are likely to maximize gasoline output from May and reduce gasoil output, cashing in on higher profits for the motor fuel ahead of the peak summer driving season, industry sources and analysts say.

The adjustments come after margins for gasoil and jet fuel slumped on rising supplies as Asia boosted exports, while the arbitrage window to Europe has been shut since early 2023 due to ample supplies on the continent.

Meanwhile, gasoline profits have rebounded as traders build supplies ahead of a seasonal travel demand boost from April through September.

By adjusting production, the oversupplied gasoil market in Asia could tighten again and support prices.

Refiners who can switch have been slowly making adjustments in the past few weeks, said a person working for a southeast Asia refinery who declined to be named due to company policy.

If the cracks continue to converge, there is a possibility of a production switch, a source at an Indian refinery said.

Complex refinery margins in Singapore, the bellwether for Asian refining margins, have more than halved to $3.17 a barrel - the lowest since October 2022 - from an average of $7.56 in March.

The extent to which Asian refiners can change production yields between light distillates - gasoline and naphtha - and middle distillates - gasoil and jet fuel - is limited on feedstock and catalyst reasons, estimated at between 3% and 5% on average, according to industry sources.

Still, refiners are eyeing strong demand from the United States, the world's top petrol guzzler, which is short on gasoline and blendstocks, traders said.

Even though U.S. refineries have ramped up output after first-quarter maintenance, imports are still required, one Singapore-based blendstock broker said.

More naphtha, petrochemicals

The rise in gasoline output is typically accompanied by more naphtha, which can be used as a blendstock for petrol or for the production of ethylene and propylene, used for plastics.

"Refiners considering ramping up their FCC runs would need to assess the overall uplift margins, as higher unit runs will produce more propylene, in addition to gasoline," said Serena Huang, head of Asia-Pacific analysis at data analytics firm Vortexa, adding that margins for propylene, a plastics raw material, are currently weak.

Northeast refiners have boosted gasoil production since September to above 5 million bpd after margins for the 10-ppm product soared to a record $71.69 a barrel, Refinitiv data showed.

Gasoline output, on the other hand, rebounded to above 4 million bpd in January, the data showed.