Many refiners are looking at ways to redesign, repair or tweak operations to increase distillate production, as distillate demand continues global growth. Meanwhile, winter consumption of finished gasoline reached its lowest level in a decade.
Boosting distillate production has become a main topic in the US refining community as a means for meeting global demand. US refineries had been designed around gasoline-production units because US automobiles are primarily fueled by motor gasoline.
Gasoline prices and consumption climb in the summer as drivers take more road trips.
In addition, more strain has been put on production in the US Gulf coast as six refiners serving the US east coast will be shut down by July, causing tight supply of products and increased prices, burdening consumers. The US Gulf coast and imports will attempt to fill the gap in east coast production.