USGS estimated US sulfur production, all forms, near 8.6 million tonnes in 2022 with elemental recovered about 8.0 million tonnes. Average elemental unit value jumped to about $150 per tonne from $92.30 in 2021. World production was about 82 million tonnes. Shipments were valued near $1.3 billion. The PDF is at https://pubs.usgs.gov/periodicals/mcs2023/mcs2023-sulfur.pdf.
MCS 2024 would put 2023 US production about unchanged at 8.6 million tonnes, unit value about $100. MCS 2026 would put 2024 at 8.32 million tonnes, unit value $46.42, then 2025e 8.1 million tonnes, unit value about $180. 2022's $150 unit-value is the spike year. Volume at 8.6 million tonnes is the plateau. Price, not output, made the $1.3 billion shipment year.
Alberta recovered sulfur still leaves mainly through Vancouver. Canada about 4.9 million tonnes in the same summary is the other North American recovered book. USGS import sources for 2019-22 listed Canada at 77 percent of US elemental imports. A $150 US unit-value year is a good year for that rail book and for Vancouver FOB. The fourth-quarter $90 Tampa close is when it stopped being good for remelt.
Tampa $282 open, $481 peak, $352 mid-July, $90 fourth quarter, in the same MCS, is the contract path that averaged toward $150 unit-value. Higher January-August production as fuel demand recovered is the output path. Argus linked elevated Gulf refining to more recovered sulfur even as phosphate demand faded. Two series, one year.
World 82 million tonnes, UAE about 6.0 million, is the seaborne competitor. Unchanged global output plus hampered supplies from the Ukraine conflict, USGS's pairing, is why prices could spike without a Claus collapse. Logistics and demand, not nameplate, made $481.
Vancouver 2.79 million tonnes, up 22 percent, is the Canadian volume that $150 US unit-value and $478 FOB paid for in the first half. South Cheecham was still construction. Existing forming cleared the spike.
Licensed weekly grids are not restated. The 8.6 million tonne and $150 per tonne figures are USGS. 2021's $92.30 and 2020's $24.60 are the climb that TFI summarized as plus 198 percent March to March.
Figures follow USGS MCS 2023. US 8.6 million tonnes at $150 unit-value is the 2022 production-and-price chapter.