Colombia's Ecopetrol is set to export its first containerised sulphur shipment in June from its Cartagena refinery, marking a new outlet for by-products generated at the 200,000-barrel-per-day facility, according to industry information reported.
The initial cargo will comprise 1,100 metric tonnes of sulphur and is destined for buyers in Africa and Latin America, with Tanzania and Peru among the target markets.
The state-controlled oil producer expects to establish regular exports of around 1,000 tonnes per month and is negotiating volumes for July, according to the report.
The shipment follows the recent start-up of a sulphur pelletising plant at the Cartagena refinery. Ecopetrol previously delivered its first domestic sale of solid sulphur from the facility, consisting of 260 tonnes supplied to a local distributor serving Colombia's fertiliser, chemical, mining and water-treatment industries.
The move broadens the commercial use of refinery by-products while opening access to export markets for a material widely used in fertiliser production. The development could also provide an additional revenue stream for Ecopetrol as demand for sulphur remains linked to agricultural and industrial activity across emerging markets.
The Cartagena refinery is one of Ecopetrol's key processing assets and the new export programme signals the company's intention to build a steady presence in regional and international sulphur markets.
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