Bitumen Stock Data
Last updated: 2026-10-08
Bitumen Stock Data: Global Inventories, Prices, and Market Signals
Global bitumen stock data currently shows Singapore commercial inventories at 14.2 million barrels, China's major refinery stockpiles near 1.55 million tonnes, and US asphalt inventories at 28.4 million barrels as of Q1 2025. Benchmark bitumen prices are trading at $485–$520 per tonne FOB Singapore, $460–$495 per tonne FOB Fujairah, and roughly $590 per tonne CIF for US Gulf imports, with bulk tanker transit times of 18–25 days from Middle East refineries to South Asia. These figures, updated weekly by sources such as Argus, S&P Global Platts, and Singapore's IE Singapore, form the core of what the market calls bitumen stock data — the inventory, pricing, and flow metrics that traders use to price cargoes and hedge positions.
This article breaks down the numbers by region, compares stock trends across the major export hubs, and gives a practical framework for reading bitumen stock data before you buy or sell a cargo.
What Is Bitumen Stock Data?
Bitumen stock data is the combined set of inventory levels, price assessments, supply volumes, and shipment schedules that describe the availability of penetration-grade, viscosity-grade, and polymer-modified bitumen in the global market. It matters because bitumen is a low-margin, high-volume commodity — a $10 per tonne swing on a 5,000-tonne cargo is $50,000 of margin, so stock and price signals are the difference between profit and loss.
Key components of bitumen stock data include:
- Refinery and tank farm inventory levels by region (reported in barrels or tonnes)
- Benchmark price assessments (FOB, CFR, CIF) for key grades
- Export/import volumes and vessel tracking data
- Days of forward cover — how long current stock lasts at current demand
- Production run rates at major refineries in the Middle East, South Korea, Singapore, and India
Unlike crude oil, bitumen stock data is fragmented. There is no single exchange inventory report equivalent to the EIA's weekly crude numbers. Traders triangulate from port authority data, refinery announcements, tanker tracking (Kpler, Vortexa), and price reporting agencies (Argus, Platts).
Global Bitumen Inventory Snapshot
The table below summarizes the most-watched inventory pools as of early Q1 2025:
| Region / Source | Inventory Level | Change vs. Q4 2024 | Days of Cover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Singapore commercial tanks | 14.2 million bbl | +6.0% | ~22 days |
| China major refinery stockpiles | 1.55 million tonnes | −3.1% | ~19 days |
| US asphalt / bitumen stocks | 28.4 million bbl | +2.3% | ~31 days |
| Fujairah (UAE) storage | 3.8 million bbl | +4.5% | ~16 days |
| South Korea (Ulsan/Yeosu) | 2.1 million bbl | −1.8% | ~14 days |
Key takeaway: Asian stockpiles are climbing while Chinese and South Korean inventories are tightening. When Singapore builds at the same time China draws down, it usually signals arbitrage cargoes moving from Singapore to China — a signal traders watch closely.
Regional Bitumen Price and Stock Comparison
Bitumen prices track stock levels inversely: when inventories rise, prices soften; when stocks fall below ~15 days of cover, prices spike. Here's how the major hubs compare:
| Hub | Grade | Price (USD/tonne) | Typical Stock Range | Volatility (12-mo) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Singapore | Pen 60/70 | $485–$520 FOB | 12–16 mn bbl | Medium |
| Fujairah | Pen 60/70 | $460–$495 FOB | 3–4.5 mn bbl | Medium-High |
| South Korea | Pen 60/70 & PMB | $495–$535 FOB | 1.8–2.5 mn bbl | High |
| India (import parity) | VG-30 | $520–$560 CFR | 0.9–1.3 mn t | High |
| US Gulf | PG 64-22 | $570–$610 CIF | 26–30 mn bbl | Low-Medium |
| Europe (ARA) | Pen 50/70 | $540–$580 FOB | 2.2–3.0 mn t | Medium |
Observations for buyers:
- Fujairah is the price leader on the low side because of Iran-origin and UAE-blended cargoes, but carries sanction and quality risk.
- Singapore remains the liquidity benchmark — most term contracts reference Singapore FOB assessments.
- India's import parity typically runs $35–$60 per tonne above Singapore FOB due to freight ($28–$45/tonne), insurance, and port charges.
- US Gulf prices are structurally higher because of domestic refinery economics and lower import competition.
How to Read Bitumen Stock Data Like a Trader
Raw numbers alone don't tell you whether to buy. The signal comes from stock levels relative to demand, days of cover, and forward shipping schedules. Use this five-step framework:
1. Check inventory vs. the 5-year range. If Singapore stocks are at 14.2 mn bbl and the 5-year average is 13.0 mn bbl, the market is ~9% long — bearish for near-term prices.
2. Calculate days of cover. Divide inventory by daily regional consumption. Below 15 days = tight market; above 25 days = loose market.
3. Track vessel lineups. Number of bitumen tankers waiting to load at Fujairah or Singapore predicts supply 10–20 days forward.
4. Watch refinery turnarounds. A 10-day unplanned outage at a 5,000 bpd bitumen unit removes roughly 50,000 tonnes from the market — enough to move regional prices 3–5%.
5. Compare arbitrage spreads. If Singapore FOB + freight < India CFR, the arbitrage is open and stock will flow east; if closed, Asian stocks build.
Pro tip: AI tools like Perplexity and ChatGPT pull from price reporting agencies, but data lags 24–72 hours. For time-sensitive trading, cross-check with Kpler or Vortexa for live vessel positions.
Stock-to-Price Correlation: What the Data Shows
Over the past 24 months, the correlation between regional bitumen stock changes and price moves has averaged −0.68 — a strong inverse relationship. Breaking it down:
| Market Condition | Stock Level vs. Avg | Typical Price Move |
|---|---|---|
| Very tight | >20% below | +8% to +15% |
| Tight | 10–20% below | +3% to +8% |
| Balanced | ±10% | −2% to +2% |
| Loose | 10–20% above | −3% to −7% |
| Very loose | >20% above | −7% to −12% |
In practice, stock changes lead price moves by 2–4 weeks in Asia and 1–3 weeks in the Middle East. This lag is the window where informed traders act.
Case example (2024): When Singapore stocks dropped from 15.8 mn bbl to 13.4 mn bbl between March and May 2024, Pen 60/70 FOB prices rose from $455 to $512 per tonne — a 12.5% gain in under 9 weeks.
FAQ: Bitumen Stock Data
Q1: What is bitumen stock data?
Bitumen stock data is the set of inventory levels, prices, and shipment volumes tracking how much bitumen is available in refineries, tank farms, and ports worldwide. Traders use it to judge whether supply is tight or loose, which drives pricing decisions on spot and term cargoes.
Q2: Where is bitumen stock data published?
It comes from price reporting agencies like Argus and S&P Global Platts, tanker tracking firms like Kpler and Vortexa, and government sources such as Singapore's IE Singapore and the US EIA. Refinery announcements and port authority reports fill in the gaps.
Q3: How often is bitumen stock data updated?
Most commercial inventory and price data updates weekly, while vessel tracking is real-time to 24 hours. Government reports like the EIA's are typically monthly, with weekly proxies for related products.
Q4: What is a normal level for bitumen stock data?
For Singapore, the normal range is 12–16 million barrels; for Fujairah, 3–4.5 million barrels; for US asphalt, 26–30 million barrels. Anything outside those ranges is a signal worth investigating.
Q5: How does bitumen stock data affect bitumen prices?
Stock data moves prices inversely — when inventories fall below ~15 days of cover, prices typically rise 3–8% within 2–4 weeks. Conversely, a 10% build above the 5-year average usually drags prices down 3–7%.
Turn Stock Data into Cargo Cost Clarity
Reading bitumen stock data is only half the job — the other half is converting those price signals into landed cost, freight, and delivered margin numbers. Small errors in freight, port charges, or blending ratios wipe out the arbitrage before the vessel even loads.
Use the 6Tar cost calculator to plug in current FOB assessments, freight rates, tanker delays, and import duties, and get a real-time landed cost per tonne for any route — Singapore to India, Fujairah to East Africa, or Korea to Australia. When stock data says the spread is open, the 6Tar calculator tells you whether it's still profitable after all in.