Weaker utilization of refineries in 2021 compared with the previous year

At 86.9 percent, capacity utilization at oil-processing plants in Germany at the end of the year was significantly higher than the previous year's figure (75.5 percent). This is the result of an evaluation by the en2x Fuels and Energy Business Association. The general market situation had developed positively at the end of last year, with overall higher domestic sales volumes and positive net refining margins resulting in improved capacity utilization at refineries in December. Crude oil processing was profitable again, in contrast to December 2020, when net refining margins were negative.

On a yearly basis, however, weak plant utilization during the year (May: 76.8 percent, June: 73 percent) was not recovered; according to en2x, capacity utilization at German refineries reached 79.6 percent last year, down from 81.8 percent in 2020 and 84.8 percent in 2019.

At the same time, the production balance of domestic refineries for 2021 shows almost stable crude oil input volumes: 84 million metric tons of crude oil were processed between January and December, 0.1 percent more than in 2020, while product feedstocks were slightly lower (down 3.6 percent) at 10.6 million metric tons. Actual production by refineries in Germany amounted to 94.6 million metric tons last year; the 2020 production level was almost reached (95 million metric tons, - 0.3 percent).

Jet fuel production volumes showed a marked improvement; after a very weak air traffic year in 2020, which had been characterized by parked aircraft fleets, more passenger planes took to the skies again in 2021, which had a positive impact on consumption and production of jet fuels. Production data from Flugturbo amounted to just under 2.9 million metric tons in 2021 (2020: 2.5 million metric tons, +14.8 percent).

For heating oil, on the other hand, it was not a good year in terms of production. Volumes were down 15.7 percent in 2021 - compared with 2020 - to 1.02 million metric tons. For gasoline (17.5 million tons, - 3.9 percent) and diesel (29.1 million tons, -3.1 percent), the decline was much more moderate.