Malaysian refiner PRefChem has shipped more than 540,000 barrels of low-sulphur straight-run fuel oil to the US, its first fuel oil cargo to the country since May 2023, according to Reuters.
Solomon Sea departed the Vopak Dialog Pengerang terminal in Malaysia on 8 August and is scheduled to reach the US in early September, with the cargo destined for a refinery on the US West Coast.
The shipment comes as PRefChem places further low-sulphur straight-run fuel oil, or LSSR, into the market for August loading.
Three additional cargoes of about 540,000 barrels each were scheduled for the month. One loaded between 12 and 13 August, while two others were offered for 21-22 August and 30-31 August. LSSR can be processed into higher-value products including gasoline and diesel.
PRefChem normally produces gasoline and diesel and only periodically produces fuel oil. The refiner’s atmospheric distillation unit was offline from 21 June until 10 July. PETRONAS has not issued a public statement on the US-bound shipment.
PRefChem is the collective name for Pengerang Refining Company Sdn Bhd and Pengerang Petrochemical Company Sdn Bhd, which operate refining and petrochemical facilities within the Pengerang Integrated Complex in Johor, Malaysia. Its refinery can process 300,000 barrels of crude oil per day.
PETRONAS, formally Petroliam Nasional Berhad, is Malaysia’s national oil company.
Saudi Arabian Oil Company, or Aramco, agreed in May 2026 to sell its entire equity interest in PRefChem to PETRONAS, with completion subject to customary closing conditions and expected in the second half of 2026.
Aramco is Saudi Arabia’s national oil company and was a shareholder in PRefChem under the ownership structure preceding the agreed transaction with PETRONAS.