For some time now, our industry has been predicting closings among API Group I base oil plants. Such expectations are based largely on the surplus in the market and an overall trend toward more highly refined stocks. Weve watched these predictions come true to some extent in Europe and other regions, all the while wondering, will the other shoe drop in North America?

It seems we have our answer with the mid-August announcement that ExxonMobil will close its Group I base oil and wax plant in Beaumont, Texas by 2016s second quarter. See this months PlacesnFaces, page 54, to learn more.

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The 2015 Nonconventional Base Stock Guide from LubesnGreases has landed this month, distributed along with this issue to all our print and digital subscribers in the United States and Canada, and to paid subscribers elsewhere. This colorful wall chart includes more than 190 plants worldwide that make seven leading types of high quality nonconventional base stocks.

The Guide lists manufacturers of polyisobutene, esters, polyalkylene glycol, silicones, phosphate esters, polyalphaolefins and API Group III base stocks. Their locations are mapped, and capacity estimates are included where relevant.

For information about our three annual base stock guides and to order copies, please visit www.BaseStockGuides.com.

Howard Briskin

HBriskin@LubesnGreases.com