Analysis

According to CW Research's ÔÇ£Petcoke Country Market DataÔÇØ, during the first half of 2018, petcoke production rose in India, but contracted in China and Brazil.

ÔÇ£In the January-June period, global petcoke volumes displayed mixed results, conditioned by the headwinds of the industry. As several countries impose restrictions on the material, the future of the large-scale use of petcoke in the cement industry remains uncertainÔÇØ, assesses Raluca Cercel, CW Group's Associate.

Reliance to boost Indian petcoke output; Brazil struggling with political uncertainty

In the first half of the year, petcoke output in India recorded an almost ten percent increase compared to the equivalent period of 2017, standing at 6.3 million tons. In June alone, the country's petcoke market production declined 4.3 percent year on year.

Reliance's gasification project has entered trial, and the company is trying to acquire more petcoke. As the Supreme Court has banned the use of the commodity in several industries, and its import into the country, the project could become the largest booster for petcoke demand in India.

In China, production of uncalcined petroleum petcoke reached 132.5 million tons in the first half of 2018, a small contraction compared to the same period in 2017. In June, Chinese petcoke output improved year on year, having topped 22 million tons.

The Chinese government has been cracking down on illegal aluminum smelting, whereas aluminum production continues to rise, therefore boosting petcoke output.

In June, Brazil's petcoke production registered a slight decrease, having totaled over 829,000 tons. In the first six months of the year, output of the fuel declined by 6.6 percent compared to 2017.

The decreasing trend follows a turbulent political setting, in which the constant national corruption scandals continue to have negative repercussions on Brazilian refineries.

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