Tag: Sulphur

Meena Chauhan , Head of Sulphur and Sulphuric Acid Research, Argus Media, assesses price trends and the market outlook for sulphur.

As well as Morocco, Egypt, Algeria and Tunisia all have major phosphate industries, and all of these countries have plans to expand their capability to extract and process phosphates, though Algeria and Tunisia remain hampered by political instability.

Dealing with sulphur dust is an operational challenge for sulphur forming plants and sulphur storage and handling facilities.

The processed phosphates market view is supporting sulphur demand. The average DAP price for Morocco f.o.b. is forecast to rise significantly on 2020 levels. As the leading end use for sulphur consumption and trade, this has implications for pricing. The expected downward correction in DAP in 2022 will likely lead to a parallel decline in sulphur, at a time when supply is expected to improve in the oil and gas sector, adding further pressure for prices to ease.

Mining giant BHP’s decision this August to dispose of its oil and gas assets to Woodside Petroleum (see Industry News, page 11) in a deal estimated at $29 billion is certainly eye-catching. But it is also part of a larger pattern of divestment of fossil fuel assets by oil and gas companies who have dominated the industry for decades. It follows divestment by investors, institutional and otherwise, as efforts to tackle climate change consistently point towards a future where we will be using gas, and especially oil, far less – indeed, where many are talking about achieving ‘net zero’ carbon emissions by the middle of the century or shortly thereafter.

The Sulphur Institute (TSI) has announced that Connor Dyck of Koch Sulfur has assumed the responsibility of chairman of the TSI board. Dyck said, “It is an honour to be named TSI’s Chair. I look forward to working with the Institute and its members to advocate on behalf of the sulphur and sulphuric acid industries.”

John M. Bryant , President and CEO of The Sulphur Institute, looks at how the sulphur supply chain has reacted to the extraordinary circumstances of the pandemic over the past 18 months, and the key principles of a successful sulphur supply chain.

Ammonia and sulphur, as essential raw materials, underpin and drive fertilizer production costs. A steep and sustained rally has seen prices for both commodities reach new heights in recent months.

Market Insight courtesy of Argus Media

Preliminary engineering work has started on a renewable powerto-fertilizer plant in Kenya.