A global oversupply of base oils weighed on U.S. base oil margins through 2025 and is expected to keep pressure on the market into 2026 as production growth outpaces demand, according to a recent report by commodity data provider Argus. The report goes on to comment that additional API Group II supply from new capacity in Singapore and planned output increases in India have intensified competition in export markets and added surplus barrels for U.S. refiners domestically. The imbalance has coinc...

HF Sinclair Corp. completed the acquisition of Industrial Oils Unlimited, closing a U.S.$38 million transaction first announced in December 2025. The deal finalized on Jan. 8 after all closing conditions were met. Demand for industrial lubricants is predicted to grow 5% yearly, making it a promising area of opportunity. API Group I base oil makes up about 70% of all industrial lubricants and HF Sinclair has capacity to produce 495,000 metic tons of API Group I base oil per year at its Tulsa unit...

In an open letter from the Union of the European Lubricant Industry (UEIL) to the European Commission, the union’s president, Mattia Adani, warns that sanctioned Russian base oil and finished lubricants entering the continent could seriously harm the competitiveness and stability of the industry. European Union sanctions have redrawn Russia’s oil, refined fuels and base oil trade, targeting a core revenue stream for the Kremlin. The EU embargo on seaborne crude oil, most refined products and...

Chile’s Second Environmental Court has heard legal challenges from Copec, Enex and PTH Grupo Ambiental seeking to annul Supreme Decree No. 47/2023, a regulation issued by the Ministry of the Environment that sets collection and recovery targets for lubricating oils under the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) law. The companies argue the decree unlawfully restricts individual management systems and improperly grants powers to lubricant marketers, claims that the government rejects as unfou...

ABN Acquires US Counterpart ABN Resource, a United Kingdom-based lubricants industry recruitment firm, acquired FindLine Connections, Inc, a well-established lubricants recruitment firm based in Colorado, United States. The addition of FindLine will further strengthen ABN’s position as a leader in lubricant, base oil and additive recruitment for the USA market. Customers will benefit from access to a wider industry network and localized service as ABN continues to support executive, leadershi...