US Feedstock and Alkylate Cargo Movements Eased in December: Vortexa Data
U.S. feedstocks and some blending component movements in December slowed, possibly related to the usual end-of-year drawdowns and shipping movement disruptions due to weather.
U.S. VGO imports in December were reported to be 776,400 bbl, down from the November total of 1.09 million bbl and lower than last December’s level of 1.76 million bbl, according to Vortexa energy cargo tracking data.
The downtick during December could be related to market participants drawing down tank levels to help avoid end-of-the-year taxes. December also saw weather and fog halting vessel movements along the U.S. Gulf Coast in key areas such as the Houston Ship Channel.
Total U.S. VGO imports in 2025 came in at about 21.14 million bbl, down from 2024 total of 26.18 million bbl and 31.88 million bbl in 2023.
In 2025, Saudi Arabia provided the most VGO at about 3.87 million bbl, with the Netherlands in second at 3.24 million bbl and Canada at 3.19 million bbl.
U.S. naphtha exports in December were 7.47 million bbl, down from November’s 8.55 million bbl and 8.25 million bbl seen in December 2024.
Total naphtha exports in 2025 came in at 102.3 million bbl, up from 2024 total of 98.95 and the highest since the 2021 total of 131.56 million bbl.
In 2025, the majority of the exports went to Brazil at 20.97 million bbl and then South Korea at 15.69 million bbl, which was more than triple the amount the U.S. exported to South Korea in 2024.
U.S. Gulf Coast naphtha values in December were seeing some of the lowest levels in recent years. OPIS International Feedstocks Intelligence Report assessments showed heavy virgin naphtha values in December averaged slightly above $480/mt and sour paraffinic averaged around $491/mt, the lowest monthly averages since January 2021.
In alkylate movements, the U.S. imports have seen a steady rise in the past few years with the West Coast experiencing strong growth as refinery capacity has diminished.
U.S. alkylate imports in December were 2.6 million bbl, down from 2.69 million in November, but more than last December’s level of 1.36 million bbl.
U.S. alkylate imports last year came in at 26 million bbl, up from 2024 level of 22.76 million bbl and 23.36 million bbl in 2023.
The U.S. last year imported roughly 18.79 million bbl of alkylate from India and 4.28 million bbl from South Korea.
On the U.S. West Coast, or PADD 5, alkylate imports last year totaled 9.07 million bbl versus 5.73 million bbl in 2024 and 4.84 million bbl in 2023.
Reporting by Eric Wieser, ewieser@opisnet.com; Editing by Tom Sosnowski, tsosnowski@opisnet.com and Michael Kelly, mkelly@opisnet.com