Margins push global refinery turnabouts 40% lower
The biggest outages will be in Asia but there are stark regional differences
Global refinery turnarounds (TARs) will be almost 40% lower in October compared with a year earlier, as refiners continue to take advantage of cheap crude and healthy margins. This year, TARs-when facilities are taken off line for scheduled maintenance-are expected to peak in October at 5.4m barrels a day, according to Energy Aspects. This is 3.27m b/d lower than in October last year, a drop of 37.7%. The largest scheduled maintenance periods are expected to be in Asia, with around 1.92m b/d of capacity being shut that month-462,000 b/d less than in October 2015. Seasonal maintenance periods usually tighten global petroleum supply as there is less available distillation capacity to pump out
Also in this section
21 January 2026
Petroleum Economist takes a look at the critical developments that look set to govern the course of the market for this year
20 January 2026
The ripple effects of US refiners switching to Venezuela grades will be felt from Canada to China and everywhere in between
20 January 2026
As the global energy system undergoes its most profound transformation in a century, the need for credible leadership, practical solutions and inclusive dialogue has never been greater. In 2026, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will stand at the centre of this conversation as host of the 25th WPC Energy Congress in Riyadh.
20 January 2026
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is the host of the 25th WPC Energy Congress on 26-30 April 2026. The Ministry of Energy spoke with Petroleum Economist about the key messages and opportunities for the global energy community.
