Operational Update for January/February 2021
NZX Announcement
19 March 2021
Operational Update for January/February 2021
COMMENTARY
Refining NZ’s excellent personal health and safety performance continued with no recordable injuries. The
Company reported a Tier 1 incident related to a fire on a structure whilst a unit was shutting down for scheduled
maintenance. The fire was quickly extinguished with limited damage to facilities. Repairs will be completed
prior to restart of the facilities.
RAP throughputs at 2.3 Mbbls, were c. 66% compared to the same period last year due to the depressed jet fuel
demand at Auckland International Airport, significantly impacted by COVID-19 travel restrictions. Combined
petrol and diesel RAP throughput for January/February was similar to the comparable periods in 2019 and 2020,
despite Auckland’s recent Alert Level 3 lockdown.
Simplified refinery throughput was 4.4 Mbbls, significantly less than the 6.9 Mbbls in the same period last year,
impacted by the scheduled maintenance turnaround and an underutilisation of the available refinery capacity
by customers.
Processing fee revenue remained below Fee Floor levels during January/February due to weak global refining
margins and reduced throughput for the period. Margins and demand continue to be impacted by COVID-19.
The Singapore Dubai complex margin for the period was weak at (negative) US$-1.56 per barrel reflecting a
surplus of refining capacity globally and an operating environment of low utilisation and margins.
HIGHLIGHTS
• Excellent personal health and safety performance continued with no recordable injuries. We recorded
a Tier I process safety incident – our first in over two years.
• Simplified refinery operations processed 4.4 million barrels before the refinery shutdown for the
planned maintenance turnaround in the second half of February.
• Refinery to Auckland pipeline petrol and diesel volumes were similar to the same periods in 2019 and
2020, despite Auckland’s recent Alert Level 3 lockdown. Jet fuel demand remains impacted by COVID-
19 travel restrictions.
• Singapore Complex Margins were comparable with November/December 2020. Processing Fee revenue
remained at the Fee Floor due to low international refining margins and the maintenance turnaround.
• The four week maintenance turnaround, which includes the first statutory inspection of the CCR
Platformer unit, has progressed to plan and is now largely complete with the refinery due to be
restarted next week.
• Net debt at the end of February was $231.5 million, reflecting cash neutral operations after Strategic
Review and restructuring costs paid of c.$5 million.
• In principle agreement reached with bp Oil New Zealand on key commercial terms for import terminal.
Negotiations continue with Z Energy and Mobil.
Page 2 of 6
Refining NZ’s January/February uplift over the Singapore Dubai complex margin was strong at US$ 5.04 per
barrel due to the processing of residue stocks built up in the previous year and significantly reduced fuel oil
production during the period. Gross Refining Margin for the two months was US$ 3.48 per barrel. Processing
Fee revenue for the two months was NZ$ 22.6 million, including NZ$ 7.7 million of Fee Floor payments by our
customers.
The planned four week maintenance turnaround for the CCR Platformer (Te Mahi Hou Project commissioned in
2015), the crude distillation unit and associated plant commenced in mid-February. The $20 million turnaround
is largely complete in line with plan and with little work emerging from equipment inspections. During the
turnaround, all other processing units not undergoing maintenance have been temporarily shut down, with
customers importing refined products during this time. The refinery is due to be restarted next week.
Net debt at the end of February was $231.5 million, reflecting cash neutral operations during the period, after
strategic review and restructuring costs paid of c. $5 million.
Significant progress has been made assessing the import terminal option, with potential to unlock latent value
in our highly strategic infrastructure assets. In principle agreement has been reached with bp Oil New Zealand
Limited on key commercial terms (non-binding and subject to conditions). Import terminal negotiations
continue with Z Energy and Mobil.
Authorised by:
Chris Bougen
General Counsel and Company Secretary
For further information:
Laura Malcolm
Communication Advisor
communications@refiningnz.com
+64 (0)21 0236 3297
Page 3 of 6
OPERATIONAL DATA
Appendix I 2021
Jan/Feb Jan/Feb FY FY
2021 2020 2021 2020
Health, Safety & Environment
LTI
#
0 0 0 0
LTIF
#/200,000hrs
- -
-
-
TRC
#
0 0 0 0
TRCF
#/200,000hrs
- -
-
-
Tier I Process Safety Events
#
1 0 1 0
Tier II Process Safety Events
#
0 0 0 0
Releases outside of consent
#
0 0 0 5
Refining
Brent Crude Oil Price
US$/bbl
58.5 59.5 58.5 41.7
Exchange Rate
US$/NZ$
0.72 0.65 0.72 0.65
Operational availability
%
93.3 99.9 93.6 98.2
Unplanned process downtime
%
0.0 0.2 0.0 23.2
Refining throughput
Mbbl
4.43 6.91 4.43 29.88
Gross Refining Margin
US$/bbl
3.48 1.04 3.48 1.63
Gross Refining Margin
US$M
23.3 21.3 23.3 131.6
(including Fee Floor/Margin Cap)
Processing Fee (including Fee Floor/Margin Cap)
US$M
16.3 14.9 16.3 92.1
Processing fee (including Fee Floor/Margin Cap)
NZ$M
22.6 23.0 22.6 141.6
Distribution
RAP throughput
Mbbl
2.3 3.5 2.3 14.7
Note s :
1) The i nforma ti on provi de d i n thi s a nnounce me nt e xcl ude s Re ve nue from othe r a cti vi ti e s .
2) The Proce s s i ng Fe e re s ul ts re porte d i n thi s a nnounce me nt a re s ubje ct to cha nge due to pos t a nnounce me nt pri ce
upda tes a nd i ndependent a udi t.
3) A fi ve -ye a r hi s tory of Throughput, Ma rgi ns a nd Proce s s i ng Fe e s i s a tta che d be l ow.
4) Re fe r to the e xpl a na tory note s /gl os s a ry for a de fi ni ti on of te rms .
Page 4 of 6
HISTORICAL INFORMATION - REFINING
Appendix II 2021
20172018201920202021
Ja n/Fe bBa rre l s 000's7,1607,0116,9636,9094,429
RNZ USD GRM pe r ba rre l
1)
6.587.544.881.043.48
Si nga pore Duba i Compl e x GRM3.423.37-0.32-1.58-1.56
Upl i ft vs . Si nga pore Duba i Compl e x
3)
3.164.175.202.625.04
NZD Proce s s i ng Fe e (mi l l i on)
2)
45.950.834.923.022.6
Ma r/AprBa rre l s 000's5,1406,9587,3124,656
RNZ USD GRM pe r ba rre l
1)
9.356.826.630.67
Si nga pore Duba i Compl e x GRM3.023.750.750.19
Upl i ft vs . Si nga pore Duba i Compl e x
3)
6.333.075.880.48
NZD Proce s s i ng Fe e (mi l l i on)
2)
48.145.850.123.7
Ma y/JunBa rre l s 000's7,7553,9106,9453,867
RNZ USD GRM pe r ba rre l
1)
7.630.184.364.59
Si nga pore Duba i Compl e x GRM2.902.020.17-3.78
Upl i ft vs . Si nga pore Duba i Compl e x
3)
4.73-1.844.198.37
NZD Proce s s i ng Fe e (mi l l i on)
2)
58.40.732.223.3
Jul /AugBa rre l s 000's7,5117,6157,4191,766
RNZ USD GRM pe r ba rre l
1)
8.876.867.10-4.18
Si nga pore Duba i Compl e x GRM4.702.573.23-2.46
Upl i ft vs . Si nga pore Duba i Compl e x
3)
4.174.293.87-1.73
NZD Proce s s i ng Fe e (mi l l i on)
2)
63.654.356.223.7
Se pt/OctBa rre l s 000's6,8167,6397,2456,219
RNZ USD GRM pe r ba rre l
1)
9.317.096.161.15
Si nga pore Duba i Compl e x GRM4.732.473.55-1.64
Upl i ft vs . Si nga pore Duba i Compl e x
3)
4.584.622.612.79
NZD Proce s s i ng Fe e (mi l l i on)
2)
62.257.849.323.3
Nov/De cBa rre l s 000's7,3427,3076,8036,459
RNZ USD GRM pe r ba rre l
1)
6.836.532.623.24
Si nga pore Duba i Compl e x GRM3.671.80-1.55-1.54
Upl i ft vs . Si nga pore Duba i Compl e x
3)
3.164.734.164.78
NZD Proce s s i ng Fe e (mi l l i on)
2)
50.749.219.224.6
TotalBarrels 000's41,72440,44042,68729,8764,429
USD GRM per barrel
1)
8.026.315.341.633.48
NZD Processing Fee (million)
2)
328.9258.7242.0141.622.6
1) Excl ude s Fe e Fl oor/Ca p a djus tme nt
2) I ncl ude s Fe e Fl oor/Ca p a djus tme nt
3) RNZ upl i ft vs . Si nga pore Duba i Compl e x GRM i s i n USD pe r ba rre l
Page 5 of 6
EXPLANATORY NOTES/GLOSSARY
Gross Refining Margin (excluding Fee Floor/Margin Cap)
The Gross Refining Margin is calculated in USD as the difference between the value of products and the
cost of feedstock for each refining customer. The value of products use Singapore quoted prices
adjusted for New Zealand quality and the cost of importing those products to New Zealand. Feedstocks
are valued using the notional market values adjusted for the cost of getting the feedstock to the
refinery. The Gross Refining Margin incorporates the cost of hydrocarbon used as fuel and incurred as
process losses.
Typically, Refining NZ has an uplift over the Singapore complex margins of around USD 3.00 to 4.00 per
barrel. The value of the uplift varies due to fluctuations in freight rates, product quality premium, crude
market premium and operational performance. Product quality premium are the cost differentials
between products made to New Zealand quality and products made to the quality that applies to
quoted prices in Singapore. Crude market premium are the cost differences between the crude types
actually processed at Refining NZ and Dubai (used as basis for the Singapore complex margins). Refining
NZ’s crude diet comprises of crudes that price off Dubai as well as crudes that price off different
markers such as Brent. The fluctuations of these price markers relative to each other impact the uplift.
Margin Cap/Fee Floor Adjustment
The processing agreements with our customers contain both Floor and Margin Cap clauses, both
effective over a full calendar year.
The Fee Floor is the minimum Processing Fee due, for a calendar year, up to a current maximum of
NZD 140.0 million. If the year-to-date Processing Fee is below the pro-rata Fee Floor, then an interim
pro-rata Fee Floor payment is made by the Customers. Should the Processing Fee exceed the Fee Floor
in future months any pro-rata Fee Floor payments that have been made are repaid to the Customers.
The Margin Cap limits the Gross Refining Margin for each customer to a maximum of USD 9.00 per
barrel over the calendar year. Should the Gross Refining Margin fall below the Cap in future months
any pro-rata Cap reductions that have been made are repaid by the Customers.
The Cap and the Floor are subject to year-to-date adjustments.
Any balance remaining at the end of the year cannot be carried over to the next year.
Processing Fee (after Fee Floor/Margin Cap)
The Processing Fee is 70% of the Gross Refining Margin after any adjustment for the Margin Cap or Fee
Floor. The Processing Fee is paid by our customers in NZD.
RAP throughput
RAP throughput is the volume of refined products, comprising gasoline, jet fuel and diesel that are
delivered via the Refinery to Auckland Pipeline (RAP) to the Wiri oil terminal.
Refining throughput
Refining throughput is the volume of feedstock intake, comprising crude oil, residues, natural gas and
blendstock, measured in barrels. One barrel equates to approximately 159 litres.
Turnaround
A scheduled outage of one or more process units, planned well in advance and typically occurring in
cycles of 2 years or more, for the purpose of significant mechanical inspection and repair
Page 6 of 6
EXPLANATORY NOTES/GLOSSARY (continued)
LTI (Lost time injuries) and LTIF (Lost time injury frequency)
Lost time injuries refer to fatalities, permanent disabilities or time lost from work.
Lost time injury frequency refers to the number of lost time injuries over a rolling 12-month period, per
200,000 hours worked.
TRC (Total recordable cases) and TRCF (Total recordable case frequency)
Total recordable cases refer to lost time injuries, medical treatment and restricted work cases.
Total recordable case frequency refers to the number of recordable injuries over a rolling 12-month
period, per 200,000 hours worked.
Tier 1 Process Safety Event (API 754)
A tier 1 Process Safety Event (PSE) is an unplanned or uncontrolled release of any material, including
non-toxic and non-flammable, from a process which results in one or more of the following: A LTI
and/or fatality; a fire or explosion resulting in greater than or equal to $100,000 of direct cost to the
company; a release of material greater than the threshold quantities given in Table 1 of API 754 in any
one-hour period; an officially declared community evacuation or community shelter-in-place.
Tier 2 Process Safety Event (API 754)
A tier 2 Process Safety Event (PSE) is an unplanned or uncontrolled release of any material, including
non-toxic and non-flammable, from a process which results in one or more of the following: A
recordable injury; a fire or explosion resulting in greater than or equal to $2,500 of direct cost to the
company; a release of material greater than the threshold quantities given in Table 2 of API 754 in any
one-hour period.
Operational availability
Operational availability is the percent of time available for manufacturing after subtracting maintenance
and regulatory/process downtimes.
Unplanned process downtime
A unit downtime is “planned” if the refinery is aware of and has scheduled that unit outage in the
previous year. Unplanned process downtime is the weighted average of unplanned downtime across
all process units.
Data sourced from publicly available filings. Our datasets may not be complete. Automated analysis can produce errors. If you believe any data on this page is incorrect, please contact us at hello@nzxplorer.co.nz. For informational purposes only. Not investment advice.