Paraffinic Group I

Is the Future Bright for Bright Stock?

Is the Future Bright for Bright Stock?

January 3, 2023

Group I capacity has been dwindling for years and is expected to continue on a downhill slide. Is bright stock facing a ...

Is U.S. Base Oil Production a Global Affair?

Is U.S. Base Oil Production a Global Affair?

December 1, 2022

Base oil production in the United States continues on the path to recovery, but the import and export scene has been sli ...

Privatization of Base Oils in Brazil

Privatization of Base Oils in Brazil

October 31, 2022

Brazil has sold off two of its three major base oil plants. What might this mean for base oil production and overall mar ...

Base Oil Report: Pricing

Base Oil Report: Pricing

October 31, 2022

Posted base oil prices seemed to settle into a more typical pattern this fall, but has the market returned to normality ...

Eneos Closes Group I Plant

Eneos Closes Group I Plant

October 28, 2022

Eneos Corp. closed the API Group I base oil plant at its Negishi refinery near Tokyo this month, part of a decision to p ...

Base Oil Report: Pricing

Base Oil Report: Pricing

October 3, 2022

Base oil pricing dynamics cooled off a bit in September. Gabriela Wheeler explains which factors helped to steady the ma ...

U.S. Base Oil Production Down in June

U.S. Base Oil Production Down in June

August 31, 2022

Base oil production in the United States declined 8% in June, compared to the same month last year, according to data re ...

Base Oil Report: Pricing

Base Oil Report: Pricing

August 1, 2022

Crude oil and feedstock prices remain volatile, and the summer months have ushered in yet another round of base oil pric ...

Base Oil Report: Pricing

Base Oil Report: Pricing

May 2, 2022

Gabriela Wheeler explains some of the most prevalent factors contributing to the current—and confusing—base oil pric ...

Brazil Base Oil Output Fell in February

Brazil Base Oil Output Fell in February

April 13, 2022

Brazil’s production of base oil – mostly API Group I – dropped 15% in February, and imports were down by more than ...

Additive

IPO Considered for Luberef

April 5, 2022

Luberef, a base oil joint venture of Saudi Aramco, is considering an initial public stock offering that would aim to rai ...

Polymer Additives Ease Bright Stock Woes for Lubricating Greases

Polymer Additives Ease Bright Stock Woes for Lubricating Greases

April 1, 2022

Bright stock supply is tight. Fortunately, OCP and PIB can be used to replace the scarce base stock in grease applicatio ...

Additive

Sapref to Pause Operations in March

February 15, 2022

The South African base oil market will become completely import-dependent from March when Sapref – the joint venture b ...

As the Pendulum Swings

As the Pendulum Swings

February 1, 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic led to sharp changes in base oil pricing and margins. Will the market settle into a new post-pande ...

Additive

Eneos to Close Two Base Oil Plants

January 28, 2022

Eneos Corp., said this week that it will close its refinery in Wakayama, Japan – which includes a base oil plant – b ...

Brazil Base Oils Stay Ahead of 2020

Brazil Base Oils Stay Ahead of 2020

December 1, 2021

Base oil production in Brazil in October was more than 20% higher than in the same month last year, the third consecutiv ...

Base Oil Report: Pricing

Base Oil Report: Pricing

December 1, 2021

The Winds of Change After several months of fairly tumultuous and heated market conditions—with monthly posted pric ...

Group I Prices Diverge from Group II, III

Group I Prices Diverge from Group II, III

November 16, 2021

After a long, large run-up from the spring of 2020, base oil prices in Europe began retreating since summer, indicating ...