Trafigura cleared to import fuels again to Mexico

Mexico’s energy ministry (Sener) has granted the local unit of Swiss commodities trader Trafigura a license to import and export hydrocarbons, an approval coming nearly a year into widespread cancellations of such permits. 

In its May 1 update on April permits, the ministry said it granted four authorizations to Trafigura México – all listed as provisional with no expiration date, unlike the others in the list of 94 permits that all had end dates.

The permits show Trafigura may import as much as 286Bl (billion liters), considerably less than the 382Bl approved under the company’s previous permits. 

It can now import 63.6Bl of diesel with 15-500 parts per million (ppm) of sulfur, 63.6Bl of diesel with less than 15ppm of sulfur, 63.6Bl of regular gasoline, 63.6Bl of premium gasoline and 31.8Bl of jet fuel. 

In September last year, Sener canceled five hydrocarbons import licenses held by Trafigura, which was part of a wider program of cancelling such permits. Sener did not provide reasons for the cancellations of the licenses that were valid until 2038. 

The number of permits has been fluctuating in the last several months, increasing to 94 in April from 77 in March, but falling from 99 in December.

The May 1 update also showed Sener did not renew the import permits for gasoline held by Toya Motor, for diesel at Marinoil Servicios, and permits for butane and propane held by Damigas.

The update from April 1 with the March standings, showed 11 permits expiring, corresponding to PTI, Intersim, ALVEG, FORTEQUIM, RODEQUIM, Industrias Monfel, Comercializadora de Combustibles y Derivados Fuentes, Distribuidora Química Mexicana, Química Delta, Truper and Comercial de Tools.