据天然气加工网站3月8日消息 2020年，根据美国能源信息署（EIA）石油供应月报，美国丙烷出口量达到创纪录水平，增长13%，超过馏分燃料油，成为美国最大的石油产品出口。美国馏分燃料油出口降至2016年以来的最低水平。
丙烷出口的增长是由亚洲强劲的石化和取暖需求推动，而这一年美国产量增加、消费减少。美国在一年的头几个月和最后几个月都经历了比正常取暖季节更温暖的气候，导致国内丙烷消费量低于前两年。
尽管2020年美国天然气和原油产量下降，但天然气加工厂的丙烷产量比2019年增长了5.6%，超过了炼油厂丙烷产量的下降。2020年，美国76%的丙烷由天然气处理厂生产，其余24%由炼油厂生产。
美国以外的丙烷产量下降，因为沙特阿拉伯和俄罗斯等主要出口国由于原油减产而减少了丙烷产量，这些国家的丙烷产量大多与原油有关。美国出口能力的扩大，加上国内生产的增加和国内消费的降低，使美国得以填补供应缺口，占领更大的全球市场份额。美国的出口能力在2020年下半年平均增长33万桶/天。
相比之下，通常占美国石油产品出口最大份额的馏分燃料油出口在2020年有所下降。美国2020年5月的馏分油出口量为73.3万桶/日，是2011年6月以来的最低水平，主要原因是全球需求减少。与丙烷需求和产量不同，今年剩余时间的馏分油需求和产量仍然相对较低。
2020年第四季度，美国馏分油出口也相对较低，当时丙烷出口处于最高水平。由于欧洲馏分油价格较低，美国炼油厂在全球馏分油市场上的竞争可能加剧。第四季度，欧洲馏分油的现货价格平均比美国纽约港馏分油价格低12美分/加仑，而前三季度则低7美分/加仑。
吴恒磊 编译自 天然气加工
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.
