News: ALD UPDATE 1-Australia's Ampol expects record annual earnings after strong quarter

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Oct 25 (Reuters) - Australia's Ampol Ltd (ALD) on Tuesday forecast record full-year earnings and posted a threefold jump in quarterly profit as strong demand for refined products pushed up refining margins at the country's biggest fuel supplier.

Tight global oil supply and shrinking refining capacity have powered demand for fuel, bolstering prices of refined products in recent months.

Ampol's Lytton Refinery earned A$143.8 million ($90.75 million) for the third quarter on a replacement cost basis - which excludes the impact of inventory and foreign exchange changes. That was higher than A$21.6 million a year ago.

Refining margin at the Queensland refinery was $15.46 per barrel, significantly higher than $6.76 per barrel a year ago, but below the $32.96 a barrel in the prior quarter.

The company's net profit for the three months ended Sept. 30 rose to A$102.5 million ($64.70 million) on a replacement cost basis, from A$33.7 million last year.

Ampol also recorded a 20% jump in its quarterly sales volume for Australia to the highest level since the start of the pandemic, at 3,661 million liters.

The Lytton refinery produced 1.55 billion liters (BL) of oil in the third quarter, down from 1.56 BL in the previous quarter. ($1 = 1.5845 Australian dollars)