Oil & Energy
Europe Most Exposed to Jet Fuel Supply Risks Despite Diversifying
Despite importing jet fuel from the US and Asia, raising refinery output and drawing on inventories to keep planes flying, Europe remains the most exposed to supply constraints resulting from tensions in the Middle East, according to a Reuters report citing several data sources.Consultancy Energy Aspects expects the region to face a jet fuel supply deficit of nearly 600,000 barrels per day during the third quarter.Meanwhile, the US and Asia-Pacific are set to see surpluses of 116,000 bpd and 425,000 bpd, respectively, highlighting Europe's unusually tight market conditions.Energy Aspects estimated that European jet fuel inventories stood at 38 million barrels at the beginning of June, compared to 99 million barrels at the same time in the US.This comes despite jet fuel inventories provisionally higher by 10% year-over-year at the end of May, while refinery throughput increased by 30%, suggesting the region has maintained only modest inventory buffers despite higher production, according to data from the International Energy Agency.To offset unreliable supplies from the Middle East, Europe has reportedly sought alternatives, having imported 673,000 bpd of jet fuel in June, largely from the US and Nigeria, alongside Canada, India, Kuwait and South Korea, according to data from Kpler.Despite these constraints, jet fuel prices in Northwestern Europe have retreated to about $133.27 per barrel from a record $215.32 per barrel reached at the end of March, according to the report, offering some relief for airliners.